Fate
by PinkCorsage
Summary: Changed it around, this time Elliot meets Olivia through the Marines.  Can their love survive over 15 years?
1. Chapter 1

**The Few, The Proud, The Marines - Chapter 1**

**this story takes a different view on the two people we love so much! Olivia and Elliot meet through the Marines.  
**

* * *

Elliot blew a breath of air out of his mouth, he was nervous. It was his first day as a marine and while he was older than most, he was new and still needed to learn the ropes. He wanted to finish high school first and then see the college scene first before he actually entered the Marines.

He walked into the cafeteria in full uniform and suddenly felt out of place when he saw all the casually dressed Marines sitting at the tables around him.

_Great, I look like an idiot on my first day_. Elliot thought to himself. He had tried to find the office of Lieutenant General John Cragen, but obviously he had failed. Thankfully a guy around his age introduced himself.

"Hi, my name is Nick Miller, you look kind of lost." The boy gave a friendly smiled as he had his hand out. Elliot gratefully shook it.

"Elliot Stabler, thanks, I was actually looking for the office of Lt. General John Cragen?"

"Oh, so you are new, his office is down that hall, and then you take a right, and it's the second door on your left. Hey, I'll wait for you, you seem really lost, so I'll be your self assigned guide." Nick said jokingly.

"Yeah, thanks man." Elliot clapped his new found friend on the shoulder before he met his new commanding officer.

"Alright, Stabler, you're new here, but the rules are pretty simple, follow your Lt. and it will be easy. You'll be bunking with Nick Miller, here is your room number, #324. Your bags are already there. We have no locks on our doors, here in the Marines we trust each other not to enter a door that is closed unless there is probably cause. Understood?"

"Yes, thank you sir." Elliot shook his hand and started towards his room wondering what he gotten himself into. He had joined the Marines to get away from his abusive father and sick mother. He felt he was too young to deal with all of the t

* * *

"Hey man, didn't know when I'd see you again, but it looks like we're bunk mates." Elliot gave a smile as he begin to take his uniform.

"So, I was thinking I'd bring you to the cafeteria and then show you around. People say this is the best or worst four years of training." Elliot nodded as he wore the casuals that he had been given, switching into a t-shirt and sweats.

He had found that in his particular unit there were only 15 women to the 30 men. He met a couple of different men through Nick, Dean Masters, he had entered the day out of high school, Danny Ocean who had been there for 2 year too, and Luke Smith who had only been there for 8 months. Nick was pointing out some of the women until the most gorgeous women crossed Elliot's sight. She had shoulder length brown hair and beautiful chocolate brown eyes. She was actually quite tall standing about 5'9" maybe? He wanted to go up to her before Nick stopped him.

"That is Benson, and trust me, I'd stay away from her. She's very feisty. She is one of the most sought out girls...but she doesn't want anyone."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's in my group, but seriously, she may look good, but she doesn't open easily, but hey if you want to try be my guest. In fact, care to make a wager?"

"Of?"

"I bet in 1 year you won't be able to get to her at all."

"A year that's quite a long time."

"She's been here since she was 16, she emancipated herself from her mother, skipped out of high school and entered the Marines, and according to Dean who has been here for 3 years, she's very closed."

"And what am I giving up?"

"If you can't get her, you'll have to do my dirty laundry for the next 3 years. "

"Okay deal." Elliot and Nick sealed the deal with a handshake. Elliot almost went up to her, but luckily he didn't, Olivia was already in a bad mood.

"Hey Livvy Baby." Olivia felt her skin crawl as Malone slung his arm around her shoulders. She had told Malone more than once to leave her alone but he never listened. One time he had sexually harassed her by pushing her against the wall grinding his pelvis into hers saying he was the best she would ever had. She had enough, turning she grabbed his package and squeezed painfully whispering into his ear, "Still thinking with your head I see, be careful...next time I won't be so nice."

"Okay, I get it Liv, I'll stop." Malone was able to gasp out.

"Oh and it's Benson to you."

"Right, Benson," Malone put his hands up showing that he meant business and would stop bothering her.

"And you're not going to bother me anymore right?" Olivia looked directly in his eyes this time squeezing harder.

"N-o!" Malone's hand immediately went to his crotch as Olivia released his pressure.

"I thought so." Malone took a deep breath as he staggered away from her.

Elliot chuckled as he saw what played out in front of him, he knew that although he may not have known her yet, but the task of getting to know her is what he knew he would enjoy.

* * *

"Okay, today's a new day and we have a new member in our little group." Lt. Dan spoke to his group of now 6 people. Normally a captain would take over a group, but the former Captain Johnson had left his command to Lt. Dan.

"Elliot Stabler? Be nice people. Okay, Stabler, it's easy in this group, we have each other's backs. I think you've met Miller, Masters, Ocean, and Smith? Yes. Okay, I'll assign you a partner, hey Benson come over here." Elliot looked over at the sour face of Olivia, she obviously did not want to be his partner.

"Hi." Before Elliot could even continue his sentence, Olivia cut him off with a brief, "I know who you are."

"Alright, today you will definitely need your partner for this. Today you will go on a scavenger hunt. You will need your partners' skill, and intuition. It uses brains and brawn, who ever finishes first wins. Good luck!"

Both Elliot and Olivia surged forward to begin their challenge. It was not an easy challenge, the first one dealt with climbing over a wall with very few levers to climb over. Elliot took a running leap and ended up half way onto the wall. Olivia started at the bottom, but using the impressive amount of upper body strength to hoist herself up ignoring the hand that Elliot offered.

"You don't have to help me," Olivia stated plainly as they managed to jump over the first hurdle. They were able to make it through the scavenger hunt beating the two other teams by quite a bit.

"Alright you two, the showers!" Lt. Dan stated as he smelled the stench coming off the pair.

"So I was thinking perhaps we could get dinner?" Elliot asked Olivia before she headed off in a different direction. Olivia surprised him with her next move. Moving very close she placed her hands on his chest and leaned slightly on her tiptoes, even at 5.9" Elliot's 6'1" stature still was too tall for her, and whispered, "Don't even try Private, I know you and Miller have a bet going on. I do have friends here, and one of them overheard your little deal, so I'm not going to play any part of it at all."

She was whispering in his ear to scare him like she had with Malone, except this time she wasn't gripping his balls painfully.

"How about dinner and it's not for a deal. I enjoy spending time with you." Olivia snorted as she began walking away ignoring his calls to come back. All men were the same wanting one thing...to break her down and get her on a date.

* * *

**A note: I do realize that Olivia was never in the Marines and went to Siena College, in this story she does. I've intertwined many of the characters from the actual series into this story. I am not trying to make her mean either, more confident.  
**

**I also know that one needs to be 17 to enter the Marines, but for the sake of the story it's 16.  
**

**Should I keep going or just stop?  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**You Belong With Me**

**a/n: I have never in the Marines, so I'm not familiar with all of the practices. I'm also sorry if I offend anyone.**

**This will be a longer chapter, had to get a lot into it.**

**

* * *

**

5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Elliot counted down waiting for Olivia to turn the corner. It had taken him a week to finally master Olivia's schedule by heart. Glancing at his watch, he noticed she was late. Everyday like clockwork Olivia would round the corner for lunch, exactly at 12. He felt a little foolish waiting for her, and had even passed up eating with his friends Dean, Nick, Luke and Danny to wait for her. He almost gave up when he felt a tap on his shoulder, turning around he saw Olivia standing there.

"How about we make a deal, you can stop following me around like a puppy and I'll tell your friend you won okay?"

"Or how about you do go to lunch with me and then I'll stop following you around."

"Do you think your wit and charm will impress me and make me fall madly in love with you?"

"Will it?"

"No, so you may want to stop to save your breath."

ONE WEEK LATER

Elliot knew that while he had taken the bet, he didn't realize how attracted he would become to someone that was so unavailable. He wanted to know Olivia, he wanted to see why she always had such a coldness around her heart. She never let anyone inside, and he wanted to be the one she finally opened up to.

"Okay people, today we're going on a hike plus some camping. This will prepare you for whenever you are split up and having to work with your surroundings until back up comes. Alright, Stabler since you're new, I trust that Benson can catch you up on speed, it's quite simple, you and your partner will each be dropped off at different locations. At your different locations you will use what you have and survive for a week and of course you have to find what is hidden in your area. It will be within 5 miles radius of where you are dropped. It will be obvious when you find it. There will be no radio contact at all. Don't worry Stabler, in the 15 years we have done this, no one has gotten hurt at all. Now, we are giving you rations, don't want you killing any actual wilderness but in actual cases, you may not have food, so eat sparingly." Elliot nodded at Lt. Dan's orders, while he trusted him, he was a little apprehensive, he had never gone camping in his life. How was he supposed to make it a week with someone who could barely stand to be in the room with him?

"So, are you going to use this week to get her?" Nick had asked later that night with a smirk.

"Nick, she can barely stand me, somehow I think getting into her pants is not going to happen even if we are deserted in the middle of civilization in god knows where." One of the conditions was the teams did know where they were being dropped off.

"Okay, look, I was thinking about our bet, and to make it sweeter and maybe help entice you. If you can bag Benson within 6 months, I'll wear nothing at graduation except my graduation cap."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, because I really don't think you can do it, but hopefully with this motivation maybe you can't. Yet, you've been working on this for a month and she has barely budged." Elliot pursed his lips before shaking his roommate's hand. And with that, Elliot needed to really bond with Olivia on this trip, although he didn't want to just bag her to bag her, he wanted to get to know her too.

Day 1

Landing somewhere in the wilderness, both Elliot and Olivia depressed their parachutes and packed them back up before even moving on.

"Look, I know that you don't know the ropes that well, but if you just follow me, it will be a lot easier." Olivia stated as they began to walk into forest.

"Okay, but if you did stop and explain some of it, it would be easier, I am a quick learner."

"We are trying to find a box, in that box, it has a saying, when we are done with this, we say this saying to our group leader and it goes down as quality points." Quality points were important to the groups if they wanted to win overall.

"Okay, that sounds easily enough."

"For the most part it is, but each day we have to either hike out separately or together, I would say together is better only since I'm not sure if you are completely familiar with everything just yet. Tomorrow we'll start, right now we need to build camp.

At least it was better than she had been Elliot thought as the two silently put up the tent that they would share that night. They had opted for one tent rather than two since it was bulky and they didn't want to leave all of their stuff out in the open when they went to look for their box.

That night was rough on both, Olivia hadn't slept so close to a man before in her entire life, and Elliot was pondering on how to get closer to her and help her open during the week.

Day 2

Olivia had woken up bright and early despite the lack of sleep since she wanted to get this over with and she thought given Elliot's lack of experience it would be best with a head start.

Elliot awoke to a pillow being thrown at his face. "Get up Stabler, we're already late."

"What? What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up, but if you must know, 5."

"That is before the sun is up, it's useless to start hiking."

"We need to pack up before we leave." Olivia spat, already in a bad mood. She didn't get much sleep due to the fact that Elliot snored most of the night away.

"Somebody obviously got up on the wrong side of the bed." Elliot said putting up his hands.

The pair set off on the trail, but after an hour of looking and no box, Olivia decided it was best to go off trail since according to her a lot of the time the box was placed off the trail. She was climbing part of a hill when she suddenly wasn't standing anymore. Elliot had slipped and grabbed her backpack to stop himself from falling down, however it ended up badly for Olivia. Screaming, Olivia lost her balance and fell backwards down off of the hill.

"Olivia!" Elliot yelled as he tried to catch something of hers, a hand, her backpack, but it was too late. Olivia felt something break as she landed at the bottom of the hill. Wincing in pain, she tried to get up, but it was then she noticed the odd angle her leg was at, it was almost twisted to the other side.

"Olivia, talk to me, talk to me baby." Elliot crouched over her, checking to see if anything else was broken.

"I just fell off a hill, and you want me to talk to you? Don't you think I may just be a little winded? Wait, did you just call me baby?" Olivia said barely able to get everything out.

"No, your fall must have damaged your hearing." Elliot stated quickly, not wanting to reveal a more sensitive side than necessary.

"That's what I thought," Olivia tried to chuckle only to realize the immense pain it caused her.

"We have a first aid kit, but I don't think it's enough to help you, we don't have any pain medication. Are you in pain?"

"What do you think?" Olivia managed to retort only after wincing in real pain.

"Let me look at it, come on Benson I'm not going to feel you up! Jeez." Elliot gingerly unbuttoned and opened the jacket Olivia had been wearing and then lifted up her undershirt. While there wasn't any external damage, he noticed that one of her ribs seemed to be poking oddly.

"Okay, well I think I can set your leg, for now, it won't be a good job, but it will last until we get help. I'll be right back." Elliot came back with a stick that was about the length of Olivia's leg and put it next to it, and was about to touch her leg.

"God, I hope you know what you're doing Stabler, if I wasn't in so much pain I'd kill you myself."

"You're such a lady." Elliot said sarcastically. "This is going to hurt."

"Oh really?"

"How about you do us both a favor and quit being so sarcastic all the time, it will really help."

"Okay." Olivia leaned back and just relaxed, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her leg, and the fear that Elliot was going to do something stupid.

Snap.

"Jesus! Stabler, a little warning." Olivia moaned out, she was crying in so much pain now. Elliot had straightened out the bone enough so that he could set it. He didn't want to tell her because he was hoping not knowing when would help it be less painful. He then placed the stick next to her leg, and using the gauze and tape they had in the first aid kit began wrapping her leg.

"Are you hungry?" Elliot asked her.

"I guess, I'm not sure if the food survived after that fall." Checking in the backpack, he saw that while most of the food did make it through, most was smashed badly.

"Okay, so I think it will be okay, did you want to stay here or keep looking for the box, and when I say keep looking, I mean _I _keep looking and you sit here."

"Somehow, I think you sabotaged me on purpose."

"Yes, I take the time to do this, because you're so important." Elliot was getting really tired of her attitude and if she wasn't going to be at least grateful to him for helping her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to people helping me, let alone being nice to me."

"Have you ever just tried helping yourself out on that? Being nice is a good start."

"Look, you don't know me, and I don't know you, you don't know my past."

"I'd like to." The words came before Elliot could realize what he was saying. Yes he wanted to know, but he didn't want to rush things at all, seeing how Olivia was kind of like a firework he never knew when she would explode.

"You don't want to know." Olivia turned her head away glancing at some frog hopping around.

Nighttime had fallen and Elliot set up the tent and helped Olivia into it. He decided to combine their sleeping bags on a whim and then he helped into the double one. Before, Olivia could get comfortable he slipped in besides her.

"What are you doing?" Placing his finger on her lip he whispered, "For once, don't say anything, just take it as it is."

Olivia had been cold but now that Elliot was in the sleeping bag with her, she was instantly warmer and felt better. Her leg wasn't nearly as stiff. While Elliot may not have known all of the Marine standards, he did know an herb*that grew in the forest that helped soothe pain. He helped Olivia eat some and while she was still very vulnerable, her pain had subsided. He turned away from her and began resting to go to bed when he heard a small voice.

"Thank you." Elliot turned back over and saw her staring at him.

"Anytime."

"Benson, Olivia!" Elliot shouted, she was not responding and he wasn't sure if she was even breathing. It had become a lot colder than Elliot had expected, and being the idiot he was, he didn't bundle her back up after he had taken opened her clothes to see if she had broken anything earlier.

He shook her slightly not wanting to damage anything. Leaving the tent, he started a fire outside to hopefully heat the area around the tent, but he didn't want to burn the tent down. He took off his uniform shirt and placed it on her and then began bundling Olivia up in the blanket that he had besides the sleeping bag. _I knew this would come in handy, bulky or not._ Elliot thought to himself. He wanted to move her outside closer to the fire, but she moaned in pain.

"I hurt, it hurts." Tears escaped Olivia's closed eyes.

"Come on, Liv, eat this, it's the herb, it will help." Olivia's mouth remained shut as the pain coursed through her body. during the night her body had become stiff due to the cold, and while she had only fractured her ribs, she felt like something was poking her.

"You have to eat it, it will help." Elliot practically shoved the herb down her mouth. He gave up on moving her and started to move closer to her, and then he slowly put his arms around her, half afraid of hurting her and half afraid she would sock him with in every inch of his life. Her response was what surprised him, she put her uninjured arm around him and squeezed his side before falling asleep again.

Day 3

The next morning, Elliot and awoke first. He watched the sleeping form of Olivia, she looked so peaceful. It was then he noticed the small things. Her hair was beautiful with slight honey color streaks in it, but it was very subtle. She had a slight scar near her scalp, it was very small, but when one got close it was visible. Before he could gaze at her anymore, her eyes slowly opened, revealing the beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"I can feel you staring at me." While she wasn't exactly pleased with his staring, she said it in a nice tone, which made Elliot feel like they were moving into a different level of, well one wouldn't call it a friendship necessarily, but it was something.

"I can't help it, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." This time placing a hand on Elliot's lips Olivia stared up at him, realizing all he had done for her.

"My mother was a drunk. She was raped and I'm the product of that rape. Everyday I reminded her of that awful day. She wasn't bad until one day when she saw me looking through the articles of the rape, and the police reports. I just wanted to find out who it was. She snapped, she just snapped." Elliot wanted to say something, but she continued as if he hadn't opened his mouth.

"She told me that she never loved me and that I was useless. That was the first time she hit me. I was 11. She then started beating me daily. She only hit where it could be covered, on my back my legs. It was just beatings, no scars. I tried to fight back but she always made sure she had the upper hand saying if I did she would put me in foster care." By now Olivia was struggling not to complete break down crying, but she felt that she owed it to Elliot to explain why she was so cold.

"She told me that no one would ever love me, and that no one would care if I ever died. One day she beat me so badly I was admitted into a hospital, I was 16. It was then the social worker told me about emancipating myself and entering the Marines, and this is where I am now." Olivia glanced at him looking him in the eyes before looking away.

Elliot didn't know what to say, she had opened up to him in more ways than one. She was allowing him into her world, and opening up why she was so cold. It meant a lot to him. He wanted to kiss her, do something, make her realize how much it meant to him. He started to lean down thinking of kissing her on the lips, but before he reached her lips, he quickly moved and decided to kiss her forehead instead.

"I guess you're hungry?"

"Yeah I really am, perhaps you could make something for me please?"

"Of course," Elliot made sure she was comfortable before he left the tent and an hour later he came back. Olivia smelled fish cooking before she saw Elliot come in with it on a makeshift plate.

"Not really breakfast material, but hey, it's food." Elliot said with a smile on his face. Olivia began to eat voraciously after not eating last night.

"Thank you for last night, I don't know how I would have made it through without you Stabler." She gave him a smile and then winced from the pain in her ribs. Elliot wanted to say something, he knew that she had opened up to him because she trusted him now. He opted for moving closer to her and she began closing her eyes as he leaned forward, but before anything could happen.

"Ha! I found the box and beat you and Benson!" Elliot moved away from Olivia as if he had been shocked and glanced into the eyes of his friend Dean. He hadn't expected to see him so soon, but apparently once the box was found all of the groups were picked up.

"She needs medical attention, she broke her leg, and I think she has some fractured ribs too."

"Damn what have you been doing to her?" Dean asked noticing that Olivia was wearing Elliot's uniform shirt. Before Elliot could slug him, Lt. Dan poked his head in, "Hey we got a chopper outside waiting for her."

"How did you know?"

"Well if you had looked closely in your bags, you would have seen that there was a radio in each bag, transmitting the progress and how everybody was. Sorry on the delay Benson, I only heard you falling and then your radio broke, and without the locator I couldn't find where you guys were." Two men helped Olivia out of the tent and onto a stretcher. Elliot moved to enter the chopper with her, but Lt. Dan stopped him.

"Passengers only Stabler, you'll see her when she's in better health."

"Olivia!" It was too late, the chopper had already started and the noise was too loud for her to hear and being strapped down she couldn't look up either. Elliot watched as the chopper took off leaving him with Lt. Dan, Dean, Nick, Danny, and Nick.

"So what happened?" Nick asked him privately.

"Nothing."

"You're telling me in the three days you were together you couldn't get her to open up with anything?"

"I didn't say that."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying the bet's off."

"She got to you didn't she?"

"I'm just realizing that it was a dumb bet."

"You were supposed to bag her not fall in love with her."

"You can be such an ass." Elliot spat to Nick.

"Hey, hey, I don't mean it in a mean way, just be careful man. She's a lot to handle."

"I know." Elliot said glancing at where the chopper was.

* * *

**Okay so sorry on the extremely long chapter! Couple of things:**

**1. I do not think a parachute can be packaged back up as neatly as it was made in the story.**

**2. I don't think someone could really be able to make it two days without medical care on a broken leg and fractured ribs.**

**3. Not sure on the setting of the bone either.**

**4. That herb does not exist.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Can't Help Falling in Love**

**Okay, new chapter! By the way, my chapter titles deal with actual song titles. Sorry on the delay everyone I had finals this past week and I had to focus on those, but I have two new chapters up! And working on the third!**

**Oh, rights go to Dick Wolf, however, the characters I create are mine.**

_Wise men say only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

It had been a week since Elliot and Olivia had left the wilderness and in that week Olivia had been taking it easy. The doctor told her no actual exercise or training for at least 3 weeks, due to her ribs, but if it looked like it was healing fine, then she could potentially start training in 2. However it would have to be easy training, no field training.

Elliot hadn't stopped thinking about her the entire time, while he hadn't suffered any injuries, he had suffered one of the heart. He realized that while she may have been a tough cookie on the outside, she was the one he truly wanted be with. He was falling in love with her, even if she didn't love him.

Elliot was lost in thought when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

And there she stood, even in crutches she looked beautiful. She was dressed casually, and one of sweat pant legs was hiked up to accommodate the cast. Olivia crutched her way over to the nearest bed and collapsed.

"Whew, it's tiring to crutch around everywhere."

"You know even in crutches you still look pretty."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Do you want it to be?"

"I," Olivia was unable to finish her sentence, no one had ever complimented her before and she wasn't used to it. Elliot moved over to the bed she was sitting on and moved her hair out of her eyes.

"I don't want to get hurt Elliot."

"I promise I will never hurt you." Olivia looked into his the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The attraction was there, and it was very heavy in the room.

"Thank you for being here." Olivia smiled and leaned upwards to give him a kiss on the cheek but at the same moment Elliot had leaned downwards moving in for the opposite cheek and their lips touched. At first, each was hesitant, unsure of what to do: kiss or pull away.

The kiss began to deepen and they lost themselves in it. Elliot pulled away smiling at Olivia. It felt so right, and they both knew it.

* * *

ONE MONTH LATER

"I can't believe that you and Benson are an item! And she hasn't ripped your head off yet."

"I have skills." Elliot joked.

"I'd believe that." Dean said taking a huge bit of his burger.

"Let's not all cocky and everything," Olivia said giving Elliot a hard time. Since they had begun dating Olivia had spent more time with her actual group, meaning Dean, Nick, Luke and Danny had become friends and enjoyed each others' company.

"Danny, I've been dying to ask you, are you named after?" Before Olivia could finish her question Danny answered.

"Yes, my parents thought it would be hilarious to name me after the character Frank Sinatra played since it was their favorite movie. I think they were on crack. While I was born 20 years after the movie, they felt it was appropriate." Everybody laughed as they continued to eat their food.

Now that Olivia and Elliot had finally become in sync, the whole group seemed to work seamlessly together in the big group competitions. It had helped them become the number one team. Olivia still couldn't do all of the workouts, but she helped direct many of the activities, such as the rowing, it was easier for her to direct them. In a couple of weeks, Olivia would be cleared to do all sports again.

"I can't wait to start back up with training." Olivia sighed.

"I bet you miss it." Elliot laughed, knowing that Olivia never liked sitting still often.

"Who is that babe?" Nick asked, directing all 4 other boys to the blond bombshell walking across the field.

"I don't know, but someone introduce me to her!" Dean said, giving a wolf whistle right after he spoke.

The blond ignored him and continued walking, and finally stopped in front of Malone.

"What does she see in him?" Danny asked. They seem to know each other, hugging and laughing about something.

"Perhaps they're friends?" Elliot suggested.

"Who'd want to be friends with Malone?" Luke asked.

"Who cares, let's go follow them!" Nick stated.

"Being a creeper is not really on my list of top 10 things to do." Elliot stated with the other 3 boys agreeing with him. Ignoring the other 3, Nick got up and began following Malone and the mysterious blond.

LATER THAT NIGHT

"I found out who that blond was and you'll never guess who she is!" Nick burst into the room that night, excited with his new information.

"And? Don't leave us hanging man." Dean laughed as Luke's sudden interest peaked.

"That's his sister!" Nick practically shouted.

"Whoa now, calm down, you'll wake up the whole wing." Elliot scolded.

"A pretty thing like that is ugly Malone's sister? Impossible." Luke stated as if it a fact and not an opinion.

"Apparently she is visiting for the week and she's going the dance this Friday, and she'll be my date!"

"That's not cocky at all, Nick." Danny sniggered.

"Watch me!" While Dean, Luke and Danny found other dates through the Marine women, Nick spent most of the week chasing down the Malone's sister, however she was not interested at all.

"Hey El." Olivia said as she slid into the seat next to Elliot at the lunch table the next day. Elliot pushed over his tray and allowed Olivia to place hers next to him.

"Did you hear about Malone's sister?" Nick asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I did, she seems nice, I guess." Olivia chose her next words carefully. She had heard about Nick's idea of trying to get Malone's sister to go to the dance with him. She did not like the girl at all, she seemed stuck up and rude. She was only 17 though and a little young to going to a dance filled with people that were mostly in their 20's.

"Her name is Kathy, she's only 17, so she's jail bait."

"She's only a year younger than you." Dean reasoned.

"Wrong, I turned 19 last month." Olivia corrected.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elliot practically whined.

"Birthdays aren't a thing for me, I didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"Oh." Elliot sounded like someone had told him that his puppy had been shot.

"But that's not the point, El. Nick, I don't think she's good for you." Olivia stated trying to steer the conversation away from her birthday.

"Why not?"

"Well ignoring the fact that she is not legal, and that she is Malone's sister, she's quite rude to the other Marine women. On top of all of that, she flirts with of all the Marine men who are taken."

"You make her sound like the devil, Benson." Nick said.

"Perhaps she is." Olivia muttered under her breath. Elliot snorted and then tried to cover it up with a cough. It was at that moment that Kathy walked in with her brother.

Unbeknownst to Olivia, Kathy continually rejected Nick's invitation to the dance because she had her sights set on someone else. That someone else was Elliot. She felt that at 5'5" blond blue eyed knockout with a nice set of breasts that any man would swoon for her. Most of the Marine men did, except Elliot. In fact, Kathy took it as a challenge, nothing was going to stop her from getting Elliot in her hands.

Sidling next to Elliot, she took the other side that Olivia did not occupy and whispered in his ear.

"Are you going to the dance?" Revulsion almost hit Elliot's face, as he slid away from her, and put his arms around Olivia.

"Yes I am, with my _girlfriend_, Olivia."

Kathy's face turned sour as she noticed the girl sitting next to Elliot. She was instantly jealous of the tanned skin olive tone, beautiful chocolate brown eyes, the lucsious hair that passed her shoulders, the tall fit body and the perky little breasts. Certainly Olivia was not nearly as well endowed as Kathy, but everything else was far superior to Kathy. Kathy instantly threatened by Olivia deciding that this girl was in her way and she had to either get rid of her or get her away from Elliot.

"Well, then, have fun." Kathy got up and sauntered off.

"Dude, why did you reject her?"

"Um, hello Nick?" Elliot said smacking the back of Nick's head.

"Oh right, sorry Benson." Nick looked sheepishly at Olivia who had raised her eyebrows at him but not glared yet. Though, Olivia had been dating Elliot for awhile, his friends still called her Benson after knowing her for three years and that's all she referred to them as for quite some time.

Kathy was not going to give up that easily, after coercing one of her brother's friends to take her, she dressed in a very slinky dress that showed off all of her curves. She knew she looked good, and all of the men's jaws dropped when they saw Kathy entering in with one of Malone's friends. It was tight fitting and had multiple cut outs

This dance was almost the equivalent to what high schoolers would have as a prom. Every 2 years the Marines Luckily, the Marines invited some other units to join them.*

Olivia was nervous as she got dressed. She bought it awhile back because she felt there would be an occasion one day to wear it and here was the day. She had the dress on, but she wanted to wave some of her hair that was down.

Elliot didn't know what she was wearing yet, but he was excited to see her. All she had mentioned was wear something that complimented purple and silver. So here he was standing in front of door, nervous, he had worn a nice black tux with a purple iridescent bow tie and cummerbund.

He knocked and the moment the door was opened his breath was taken away, Olivia stood looking beautiful as ever, her hair was some up-some down and it was slightly waved and the dress itself was beautiful, it had sequence all over it and it was ruched, it was also strapless. She was wearing low heels seeing as she was 5'9"

"Wow, Liv, you look beautiful." It was the first time that Elliot had shortened her name and Olivia didn't even notice it since she was slightly embarrassed by the stare that Elliot was, he was practically devouring her with his eyes.

"Thank you, shall we go?" Olivia asked taking his proffered arm.

"Oh, before I forget, I got you a corsage, I hope it fits. He handed her a beautiful corsage that had one main flower and small flowers around it. He slipped it on her wrist and the pair left to go meet Dean, Nick, Luke and Danny.

"Wow, Benson you sure know how to clean up!" Nick joked and then received a sharp jab from his date. Clarissa had agreed as a friend to be Nick's date since Kathy had refused him. Julia was Dean's date, and was his girlfriend for 3 years. She came up especially for this occasion. Luke and Danny were going solo, but they didn't mind since they were hoping that they would meet some girls at the dance.

"Thanks, Nick." It was the first time that Olivia had actually used his first name, and not called him Miller. Nick smiled as they entered the dance.

"Wow, they really outdid themselves!" Dean called out. This year's theme was Save the Last Dance, and many of the items dealt with dancers. Eventually they all separated finding a different spot on the dance floor. Elliot and Olivia were having a grand time when a red nail polished hand slid onto Elliot's shoulder. He turned around and saw Kathy, she had her hair down straight and sleek like her dress. She had ditched her date earlier that night and waited for Elliot to show up with his date, now that he was here, she planned on stealing Elliot away.

"Hi, Elliot, have you saved a dance for me?" Kathy said sultry. Olivia backed off at first since she didn't know how Elliot would react. Elliot removed Kathy's hand from his shoulder and kindly said, "Kathy, I'm sorry I'm not interested. I have a date, her name is Olivia, and she is my girlfriend."

"Well, that doesn't mean you can't dance with me." Kathy pouted. Olivia wanting to stop anything bad from happening cut in, "Just dance with Elliot, we have all of our lives to dance."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go ahead." Elliot reluctantly took Kathy's hand and began dancing with her. Olivia watched and almost didn't notice Malone slither up to her.

"You know Elliot shouldn't leave you alone." Malone hissed at her. He began to touch her back, and before he could really do anything he was flat on his back.

"I told you before, Malone stay away from me. I mean it this time." Malone just laughed as he got back up. If he couldn't have Olivia no one could was his rational. He looked over at his sister trying to sink her claws into Elliot.

"So, your girlfriend Olivia, she must not want you to just give you up to me."

"Excuse me, she was being polite."

"Sure she was." Kathy was just trying to find his weakness, and knew that Olivia was it. As they were dancing Elliot kept his eyes on Olivia. He saw at one point she looked like she was in a fight with Malone again. He tried to move over there, but Kathy had prevented it.

Olivia was sitting with Dean, Luke Danny and Luke and their dates when Lt. General John Cragen entered the dance. Olivia was the first to notice that he was coming towards their table, and he eventually stopped in front of Olivia.

"Benson. I need to talk to you can we step outside?"

"Yes, sir." Olivia followed Cragen outside and it was then she found out her mother had died.

"I'm sorry, Benson, your mother died earlier this morning, she fell down the subway."

"My mother never takes the subway." Olivia insisted.

"She had been drinking and because she was drunk, she lost her footing." Olivia slowly sat down and began to cry. She didn't love her mother, she didn't even like her mother, but she couldn't believe her mother was dead. She hadn't seen her mother in almost 3 years. She just never wanted to see her, and now she almost regret it.

"I can't believe it."

"You'll be returning home tonight, and be honorably discharged, you need to take care of funeral matters. It's been an honor serving with you." Cragen held out his hand and Olivia shook it.

"Can I say goodbye to my friends."

"I'm sorry Benson, the chopper is waiting to take you."

"It'd be easier for me to leave tomorrow, I don't have everything packed and."

"Don't worry, everything is covered, but this is the last chopper that will be leaving before winter, there is a blizzard coming in later tomorrow and I want to ensure that you are able to get back home."

"Okay, sir." Olivia followed him trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. She didn't want to leave, she didn't even get to say good bye to Elliot. It was all she could think about as the got out of her dress and into her uniform to take the chopper. In the chopper, she finally allowed herself to cry.

_What hurts the most_  
_Was being so close_  
_And having so much to say_  
_And watching you walk away._  
_And never knowing_  
_What could have been_  
_And not seeing that loving_  
_Is what I was trying to do_

* * *

**They take four classes a day at one hour each and then they spend the rest doing training.**

**Quick note: The original Ocean's 11 was in 1960 with Frank Sinatra, and that's who Danny Ocean in the story is named after. In case everyone was thinking of the one with George Clooney.**

**Oh as for the other units, not sure if Marines have separate units, but I thought it would be easier.**

**I wanted to show what the styles looked like, but I can't show them for some reason if you wanted to know I can send the link.  
**

**This is for the people who wondered what the style looked like.**


	4. Chapter 4 Part 1

**Big Girls Don't Cry**  
**So sorry on the delay in posting, but here is Chapter 4! It is quite a long chapter...so it is broken in two parts.**

**This chapter does jump a bit, to present and past, but it will be clearly labeled when it jumps to the past, if this is very confusing I'm very sorry but it helps explain better.**

**Oh, I did read the reviews: In some circumstances a person may be discharged early from the marines. In this case, Olivia's only family died, and because of this, the Lt. General felt she had done her duty and now needed to help bury her mother and move on with her life.**

**I was kind of scared of writing the next chapter of some of the reviews for chapter 3. But here is chapter 4 part 1.**

* * *

_El,_

_It's weird not seeing you everyday, I miss you terribly. I finished burying my mother yesterday, although she abused me and most likely did not love me, I will miss her, she brought me into this world. I hope that things back at the base have been well. Did you get a new partner or are you switching out with Dean, Nick, Danny and Luke? I've thought about returning to the Marines, but I was honorably discharged, so perhaps I'll use this time to get ready to enter the Police Academy. I guess now is as good a time as ever. Stay safe. I miss you and I hope to see you soon._

_Love, Liv_

Olivia kissed the letter before sealing it up and stamping it. She dropped it in the mailbox and hoped Elliot would respond to her soon. She was back in New York and while her mother had never shown love to her, Olivia had inherited a large sum of money that her mother willed to her when she died. Not wanting to touch it, Olivia put it in savings and tried not to think about it. She decided like she had said in her letter to join the Police Academy to become a detective. She wanted to be a Specials Victims Unit detective, feeling that as the product of a rape, she would be able to understand the nature of these heinous crimes.

5 YEARS LATER

Elliot Stabler sat at his desk wondering how long this day would take. The day had been slow and not many crimes had happened. He had been working at SVU for about 5 months now and while he often worked with Munch on crimes, it was nice just working on DD5's, but not today.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Detective John Munch called out to him from his desk. One could describe John Munch as an eccentric man who believed in conspiracy theories who thought everyone was out to get him. The truth in the matter was, John Munch had not committed any felonies and besides the one parking ticket had paid late on, he was the last person the CIA or the FBI checked upon; he wasn't important enough to them.

"Somehow John, I don't think my life would really interest you all that much."

"How about you try me. Having problems with the wife?"

"You could say that." "Well, seeing that all 4 of my past wives have divorced me, perhaps I'm not the best person to ask."

"I figured as much." Elliot said laughing. He went back to work on his DD5's when a new person came in. He was about 6 feet, and had a braid on the back of his head and a moustache and beard.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Captain Cragen?" The man said looking around the office.

"That's his office, right over there," Munch said pointing over to the door on the left with big bold letters CAPTAIN DON CRAGEN

"Thanks." The man walked over and entered the office. "Hi, my name is Odafin Tutuola, I'm the replacement."

"Ah, good I was just about to call over, Oda- what?" Captain Don Cragen was a nice man, but names were not his speciality, he never called anyone by their first name, because often he forgot them.

"It's Odafin, but you can just call me Fin, it's easier for everyone."

"Alright, Fin, now it's pretty easy in this office, we treat everyone like family. Your partner will be John Munch, the man who sits in that desk with the glasses. And your locker will be over to the right of the desks. I'll put your name tag up later today. It's been a pretty quiet day, so you can take today to get to know everyone. There is one last person coming in, but she is new." Fin nodded as he took in all of the new information.

"Alright, cap, nice to meet you." Cragen shook his hand and introduced him to the other two detectives.

"Stabler, Munch, this is Fin, he will be your new partner Munch." "Nice to meet you." Fin shook hands with Munch and then Elliot. Cragen left the men and went back inside of his office waiting for his last detective.

Olivia Benson was late for her new job. She had been working for NYPD in Computer Crimes, but her boss had told her that someone had put in for a detective in SVU and she had all of the qualities. Olivia was excited, after working in Computer Crimes for 2 years, she felt she was ready to really go out on the field.

She walked onto the steps of the building, and instead of stopping at the 2nd floor, she went up to the 4th floor. As she entered the office, she saw 6 different desks, two had people sitting at them, 2 looked like they were stacked with different files, 1 was completely bare, and the other one across from it had the startings of a person beginning to use the desk.

"Ah, you must be the new detective Cragen's been waiting for." A voice behind her spoke and spooked her a little since it was unexpected. She turned around to see an older man with grey hair and glasses smiling at her.

"Yes, my name is Olivia Benson." Munch shook her hand and then pointed out Cragen's office.

"John Munch at your service. Cragen's office is right over there." Olivia followed the direction of his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Olivia gasped when she entered. She was looking at the exact copy of Lt. General John Cragen sitting at the desk.

"Hello Olivia." Cragen said smiling.

"Sir, I, you look like someone I know."

"Yes, my twin brother I would assume, he went into the Marines and I went into the Police Academy. He's the reason I requested you. I knew from him that you would make an excellent detective in SVU, he said you were never a quitter."

"Thank you, sir it was an honor serving with your brother."

"I will tell him that, now back to buisness, we are family at SVU so we each others backs. Other than that, this is a really easy going squad and I hope you enjoy your time here, I'll introduce you to your new partner." Cragen walked out of his office and saw Fin and Munch working but no Elliot.

"Hey do you know where Stabler is?" Cragen asked. Olivia paled slightly when she heard the name, there had to be lots of other Stablers in the world.

"I think he went outside for abit." Munch guessed. He hadn't exactly seen where Elliot walked but he was sure that he wasn't far.

"Here is your desk." Cragen led her to the empty desk across from the desk with few files. Olivia sat down and felt her new desk.

"Thank you Captain." Olivia was so focused in organizing her desk and her new files that she didn't even notice someone down across from her. She currently had her head in file cabinet when she heard a voice from behind her. Banging her head against the filing cabinet and cursing, Olivia was able to gingerly get her head out and glance at the electric blue eyes staring down at her.

5 YEARS PREVIOUS

Elliot couldn't believe that Olivia had left without even saying goodbye. He had found out from Nick later that night that Olivia had left without any word to them. It was almost as if she was never even there. Elliot had banged into her room the next day early in the morning to find everything was cleared. He had demanded to know why Olivia left to Lt. Dan later that day in training.

"Why did she leave?"

"I wish I knew." Lt. Dan pondered out loud.

"How about you ask Lt. General Cragen?" Dean suggested.

"Yeah, I'll do that. That afternoon one could find Elliot sitting outside of the general's office waiting to enter. He had become quite bored, as he had been sitting outside for an hour now. He almost left when he heard his name.

"Ah, yes Private Stabler, come in." Elliot bounced up and followed the general into his office.

"You wanted to ask me something?"

"Yes, sir, I wanted to know why Oliv- Private Benson left so suddenly."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that son."

"But sir, I, she was my girlfriend and Olivia is not the type of person to just leave without saying good bye." Elliot's eyes looked like they were about to leak tears and Cragen felt for him and decided to tell him the last known address he had for Olivia.

"She left because of the death of her mother, and I personally felt along with my other esteemed colleagues, that it would be best for her to go home. I only have one address for her.

141 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019. That's all I have." Elliot took the address and wrote his letter.

_Liv,_

_I wish I could have seen you before you left, but Lt. General Cragen said your mother died unexpectedly. My deepest condolences. This is the address he gave me that would reach you. I hope this reaches you in good health and while my tour lasts another 3 years, I hope that I can see you again before then. I love you._

_Love,_

_El._

He almost didn't write the "I Love You" but he felt that he wanted her to know that. He kissed the letter and sealed it. He then dropped it in the mail box. He hoped that she would receive the letter soon and respond.

5 YEARS LATER

Electric blue eyes stared back at her. Olivia thought that at the moment she saw him, that shewould be ready for the moment. However, here she was squatting on the ground looking blankly at the boy she once knew. He wasn't nearly as boysih anymore, he had definitely grown into a man. He had filled out quite nicely, and while his hair was still teh close cropped length, it appeared to have darkened slightly. He also seemed to have grown slightly, maybe a couple of inches or so.

Slowly she stood up nearing his height, she had also grown a couple of inches. Staring right back, she wanted to show him all of the hurt she had felt when he never replied to her letter. She slowly stuck her hand out, and introduced herself as, "Olivia Benson." He took her hand and while her smile was not warm, her hand was very warm. Elliot shook it and repeated his own name before sitting back down.

He couldn't believe after all of this time waiting for her that he couldn't say anything besides his name. He felt kind of foolish, but what had he expected, she had never responded to hsi letter. While there was some tension in the air, they didn't let them affect their work which like itw as in the Marines stellar.

"Okay, everyone what do we have?" Cragen stepped out of his office and walked up to his 3 new and 1 old detecitves.

"We have a homicide that has some sexual means to it in Brooklyn." Fin said reading off of a report.

"And then, a kidnap case." Elliot said closing the file.

"Okay, Fin and Munch check out the homicide, and Stabler and Benson, check out the kidnapping." All four detectives got up and began heading out.

Elliot drove them to the scene and while each desparately wanted to say something, neither could find the right words without hurting the other. Once on scene, they saw a mother crying and a father holding onto the mother and an indifferent son.

"Hi, ma'am, sir, I am Detective Stabler and this is my partner Detective Benson, we are the detectives assigned to your case."

"Please, you have to find our daughter, she means everything to us!" The mother hung onto Elliot's coat and began crying harder.

"Ma'am, anything you can tell us will help us," Elliot tried to comfort the mother but it seemed nothing he said was helping.

"Look, you have to find our daughter." The father said sternly.

"Is it okay if we look in her room, perhaps something can tell us what happeend to her." The parents willingly obliged letting the two detectives walk in. Once in they saw the house was well furnished and obviously well kept. After seeing the daughters room, they realized how hard this would be.

Her room was filled with barbie posters and rainbows with unicorns on them. It was almost as if Lisa Frank had exploded across the entire room. Olivia saw the computer first and before she touched it, "Is it okay if we look?" Olivia was familiar with some procedures but she always felt bad for looking at another person's computer without their permission first. The parents nodded, anything to help their daughter. Olivia clicked the button and it turned on, showing a password screen. Which seemed unsual for a young girl.

"Ma'am, how old was your daughter?" Elliot asked.

"She was 15." Elliot hid the surprise of her age, the way the room was, it appeared that perhaps a 10 year old lived here.

"Did she have any particular guys that she was interested in?" Olivia asked trying to think of what this girls password could be.

"Well, no I don't know."

"Okay, ma'am and sir we're going to take your daughters' computer and have one of our technician's see if there was any thing that would help us find out who were kidnapper could be." Olivia said looking at the parents.

"Okay." The mother then began to cry into the arms of the father. Olivia and Elliot left thinking of who could of done it. Elliot immediately said the family, but Olivia sided with the mother saying she most of really loved her.

"You don't know that." Olivia stated.

"You don't know anything ." Elliot snapped angrily. Working together made him think of the times in the Marines when they worked together, even then they had problems with agreeing on certain things.

"I don't know anything? You don't, you never responded to my letter in the first place." After that, Olivia stalked off.

5 YEARS PREVIOUS

"Did she respond?" Nick asked.

"No. It's been weeks."

"Perhaps it didn't get to her?" Luke said."

"I think maybe she didn't care as much about me as I did." Elliot stated looking despondent. He clutched the ribbon that she had wrapped around his wrist. While Olivia was not a girly girl, she did have that ribbon for a purpose and she used it to hold her hair back whenever she needed it. Awhile back after winning a challenge, she pulled it out of hair and kissing him, she tied the ribbon around his wrist and left.

"That's not true man, you brought her out of her shell, you meant something to her." Nick stated. Elliot hoped it was true, he was truly in love with her, and it hurt that she didn't answer. Unknown to him, Malone had prevented the letter from ever leaving the mail room and instead shredded it. It was easy for him to do this because he worked

in the mail room and had seen Elliot drop his letter in the mail bin and used his keys to remove it. He had also intercepted Olivia's letter from reaching him when he saw her beautiful script on a letter. There was no way that they were going to be together after she was already gone. Malone would make sure of it.

End of part 1.

* * *

**The address given for Olivia's address was actually Ziegfield Theatres, I don't know anyone in New York, so I looked up an address.**

**In case anyone was confused: Olivia left the Marines at 19, Elliot turned 21 later that year. Olivia enters the Police Academy at 20, it's a 2 year course, works for computer crimes for 2 years. Elliot enters the Police Academy at 24 and starts at SVU at 26.**

**In case anyone has questions, I feel since Olivia has been working in the Police Force longer, it is okay that she gets a rookie while she is technically still a rookie in SVU becuase she is still more familiar with police matters. I consider Elliot slightly a rookie.**

**[Elliot finished his Marine training in 4 years.] I don't know how long one is in the Police Academy so I made it 2 years, which is why Olivia and Elliot are working at SVU at the same time.] I didn't explain it too well in the story.**

**Lisa Frank is one of those artist that girls always have those backpacks for and folders. If you don't know who she is, look her up and you will definitely see how kiddy it is. **


	5. Chapter 4 Part 2

**Am I the Same Girl?**

**Chapter 4 Part 2**

**Again, I'm sorry if this chapter is confusing, remember, this does skip from the past to the present.**

**Oh I changed my screen name to Bensler13. I'm still writing the story just a different screen name.**

**Thanks to Lauren Puddingscupsandlollipops for telling me the correct time of being a detective!**

**To Amy: I couldn't respond in the review, but without revealing too much, the summary was correct. 15 years.**

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**

Elliot and Olivia had not spoken for a week since that fight. At first Cragen thought maybe it was the case that caused the disagreement, but when it seemed it wasn't the driving force he called them into his office.

"I thought after the glowing recommendations I got from both of you that you would be more professional, I don't want to have to treat you like children at all. If this is what it has to be, then so be it."

"No, sir." Olivia and Elliot said, suddenly feeling abashed that they had let their personal feelings intrude on their work. Leaving the office, they sat down at their desks, it took awhile but they finally started talking about the case.

"Okay, I think the father had something to do with the kidnapping. His abili didn't fall through the night of her kidnapping." Olivia said showing the file to Elliot.

"Yeah, you're right." Elliot agreed as he started looking through the file and realizing that the father may have been the missing link to everything.

"Captain, I think we have a lead, the father's alibi didn't hold up at all, he had a 3 hour window to take his daughter stage the kidnap, and return as if nothing ever happened. He normally plays poker that night but that night he didn't. I'm betting he either did it or had a hand in it." Elliot said while shaking the file in front of him, his anger already getting the best of him.

"Okay, you two pick him up, Fin and Munch pick up the wife. We're going to get to the bottom of this now." Cragen said as he read the file.

5 YEARS EARLIER

It was a hard day for Olivia, she was moving her mother's stuff out of the apartment and having trouble. She was tired and the boxes were heavy. Thankfully a nice looking man entered the building.

"Hey did you need some help that looks kind of heavy."

"Oh yes thank you." While Olivia was a little hesitant on letting a complete stranger help her, she was not strong enough to get all of these boxes herself, so why not.

"My name is Trevor."

"Hi, Trevor, my name is Olivia, thank you for helping me." Together the two were able to move all of the boxes into her car that had been given to her from her mother.

"Alright then, that wasn't too bad. Do you want to get lunch? My treat." Olivia was a little wary of going to lunch with a complete stranger, but she accepted. She ratioanlized it with if this man was really a creep she could just leave and he would never know where she lived.

"Okay, where to?"

"I know this great Chinese food place down the way, that is if you like Chinese?"

"Yeah I actually do." Following him out, they went to the Chinese place together."

There Olivia learned a lot about him. He wanted to be a lawyer, and he was currently in law school. He was in his second year, and he was 25. He seemed nice, and she did have fun, but she couldn't stop thinking about Elliot so she declined his next offer for a dinner date and just as friends. She wasn't ready to move on just yet.

5 YEARS LATER

"So how is your life?" Olivia raised her eyebrows looking at Elliot. She had agreed not to let her personal life affect her professional side but asking a question like that seemed out of place especially since they were sitting on the perp's house.

"I don't think we should be talking about our personal lives on the job Elliot." Olivia said flatly. While she wasn't exactly seeing anyone, she wasn't ready to open up her heart again.

"What did I do so wrong that you won't even let me into your life again?"

"You promised you wouldn't hurt me, but you did, I cried for weeks after I realized you would never respond to my letter...was I just some bet?" Venom was dripping off of her words.

"Letter, I never got a letter! You keep mentioning some letter like I'm supposed to know what it is!" Elliot practically shouted at her.

"Give me a break, oh here he is." Olivia immediately refocused her attention back to the case. Exiting the car she intercepted Daniel Walters.

"Mr. Walters, while you were very helpful with our original investigation, it turns out your alibi didn't check out so well. How about we go to the precinct and talk it over?" Olivia said smoothly, positive he was guilty. He started to run but was immediately stopped by Elliot stepping in front of him.

"Feeling guilty, eh?" Immediately they cuffed Mr. Walters and put him in the back of the squad car.

Meanwhile, inside of the house, Fin and Munch were with the mother and the son.

"Look, Mrs. Walters if you truly cared about your daughter."

"Don't you tell me if I cared about my daughter!" Mrs. Walters snapped at Fin.

"Mrs. Walters he did not mean any offense, but it is suspicious that your husband is the last one to be seen with her and he didn't go to his poker game that night. We just want to make sure."

"My husband would have never kidnapped our daughter, stop wasting our time and find the real kidnapper!" Mrs. Walters shouted literally kicking them out of the house.

"Okay, how about next time I do the talking and you stand there looking pretty." Munch suggested to Fin.

"Or how about you let me handle the situation."

"Seeing how _well_ that went, I don't think so."

"She was just being friendly." Fin joked.

"Hmm...I don't think I want to know how your friends treat you if that's friendly." Munch said sarcastically as they entered their squad car.

"Okay, Michael, how about you tell us the truth about where you were that night? Cause it wasn't poker, all of your buddies said you called in sick."

"I was sick, I went to the hospital."

"Well last time you said it was you went to the grocery store." Olivia said sitting on the desk glaring into his eyes.

"I went to the grocery store and the hospital."

"Last time I went to a hospital I was there for more than 3 hours." Elliot said looking at Olivia in a disbelieving look.

"How about you tell us the truth and we'll cut you a deal."

"I am telling you the truth." A knock on the window could be heard and Olivia and Elliot both exited. Outside, Cragen, their ADA Alex Cabot, and psychiatrist Dr. George Huang was waiting outside.

"Alright, while we may think he kidnapped her, I have nothing that puts him in her room to kidnap her. None of his prints are there, except the usual places, such as the door." Alex explained.

Alex Cabot had been the ADA for about 6 months now and while Olivia and Fin were still getting used to her, Munch and Cragen felt she was the absolute best.

"Look at his eyes, they are clearly frenzied, he is worried about you finding something out. And the fact that he is sweating profusely, means he's lying. I would use his daughter as his trigger. Something went wrong in this kidnapping either he kidnapped her or he planned it with someone else doing it for him." Huang stated.

"Okay, get him in the room and we can have a warrant."

"Okay then." Olivia and Elliot walked back into the room.

5 YEARS EARLIER

Today Elliot would once again be partnered with Dean, Luke, Nick or Danny. While he was glad that they understood that this would probably be permanent and he would continually switch out, but he hated it because it made him feel the odd man out. He missed Olivia and their partnership. Yes even dating, they had their problems, but they always worked them out. He missed Olivia's passion for winning.

He sat on the bench remembering this was the bench that Olivia had kissed him out of excitement of winning a challenge. She of course had been embarrassed afterwords and hadn't mentioned it at all. But it was the spontaneity of it all that he fell in love with.

5 YEARS LATER

They had gotten Mr. Walters to confess it turned out the son accidentally killed her after they had gotten into a fight. They tried to cover it up making it look like a kidnapping gone bad instead. However, it didn't work and his son, Percy Walter was being booked for accidental manslaughter. Alex had decided to drop it down from Murder in the 1st degree if the boy confessed to the crime.

"So, who wants to get drinks tonight?" Alex called out to the squad happy she had won the last case.

"Sure," Fin and Munch agreed quickly. Elliot was a little slower on the uptake but finally agreed and Olivia agreed too.

"Alright!" They all left the precinct saying a good bye to Cragen. They decided to go to Hannagan's that night to get a drink. ME Melinda Warner and Tech Ryan O'Halloren joined too. Olivia liked Melinda, there weren't enough women in the task force. Melinda was easy to get along with and always had a quirky joke to go with her investigating the deaths of people. She and Olivia had instantly connected as friends and often got dinner after work. O'Halloran was nice, he was about the same age as Olivia and was very good looking. While he had flirted with her a couple of times, he had stopped after getting quite a few dirty looks from Elliot. They had gone for a couple of drinks before but they had realized they were better off as friends instead.

Everyone was enjoying themselves and the night went by pleasantly. O'Halloran was talking about some new technician he got who drove him nuts! It was then, Olivia saw a familiar face.

"Trevor!" She called across the way, a dark haired man turned around and his face let up when he saw Olivia waving.

"How do you know him?" Alex immediately asked.

"We live in the same apartment building across the way."

"Do you know who he is?" Alex asked excitedly.

"Yes?" Olivia answered suddenly unsure if Alex was about to tell her that he was some axe murder or lunatic.

"That's Trevor Langan! He's the best defense attorney out there I always have to struggle against him even if I have a solid case." Alex said in a hushed whisper as if it was a crime to yell in a bar.

"Hey, Liv." Trevor swooped down and planted a kiss on Olivia's temple. O'Halloran swore he felt steam coming out of Elliot's ears. Olivia smiled and laughed at something Trevor had whispered in her ear.

"Guys, this is Trevor, he lives across the way." Olivia said to everyone. Everyone but Elliot greeted him warmly. Even Alex as nice, seeing as it was out of the court room she could be nice.

3 YEARS EARLIER

_"Come on, Liv, I've been living across the hall from you for 2 years, you can at least let me take you out to dinner." Trevor stated matter of factly to her as he stood in her door way._

_"Gee, I don't know, I'm kind of busy."_

_"With computer crimes?"_

_"Well, yes, and besides I shouldn't be fraternizing with you anyway, I'm trying to help put away the guy you're defending."_

_"True, but we don't have to talk about work, we'll talk about the weather?" Olivia laughed, everyday for 2 years Trevor would think of a new reason why she should go to dinner with him after their first lunch "date" together. Olivia liked him, but wasn't sure on starting a relationship with him or not. Half of her hoped Elliot would still email, send her a letter or maybe even show up on her door step one day. But as time went on, her hope slowly weakened. She still loved Elliot, it didn't matter if she only knew him for about 3 months, it was what they had shared together._

_"The weather?"_

_"Not the weather? Okay, we'll talk about something else." Olivia gave him a look and decided why the hell not._

_"Okay, tomorrow at 7 work?"_

3 YEARS LATER

"So, Alex, how's your case going?"

"You should know, Trevor, seeing as your the one I'm going against." Alex said lightheartedly.

"Ah, well yes, but we can talk about something else." Trevor casually slipped his arm over Olivia's chair after seeing Elliot's enraged look trying to entice him, not noticing Olivia was still talking to Melinda.

"Let's go to the bathroom and you can dish the details about this new guy, Liv" Melinda whispered trying not to be too obvious.

"Okay, let's invite Alex." While Olivia wasn't exactly comfortable with discussing her personal life with someone she had only know for about a month, she didn't want Alex to feel left out. The ladies left the men to talk about sports and other things.

"Okay, so you're dating Trevor Langan?" Alex questioned, trying not to sound like a prosecutor but more as a friend.

"I guess, I'm not exactly sure."

"How can you not be sure?" Melinda said looking at her like she was crazy. "He's so good looking, I could just eat him up! Uh, no offense."

"None taken." Olivia said giggling at Melinda's excitement. "Trevor knocked on my door everyday for two years explaining all of the reasons why I should go out with him on a dinner date and eventually I said yes. We've been seeing each other for about a year now, but I wouldn't say it's exclusive, I don't know if he sees women other than me or not."

"Better make sure it's exclusive before someone else gets your goodies!"

"Mel, he's a man not some candy."

"He's man candy!" Alex stated, joining in with the giggling. Olivia was glad she invited Alex with her and Melinda because she was really starting to like her.

Meanwhile back outside of the bathroom at the table, a fight had started. Trevor had said something that make Elliot explode like a time bomb. Elliot being the explosive man he was decked Trevor right in the jaw, but before he could do anymore damage, both Fin and Munch grabbed ahold of his arms and O'Halloran stepped in between the two. It was then Olivia, Alex and Melinda came to the table and saw what was happening. Olivia was torn, should she go by the side of the man who she had fallen in love with first, or the man who was trying to win her heart now. She eventually went by Trevor's side.

"Go home to your wife and kids, I'm sure they're waiting for you." Trevor spat angrily, touching his jaw gingerly.

"Your wife and kids? You're married?" Olivia gave Elliot an extremely hurt look and ran out of the bar, ignoring the calls from both Elliot and Trevor. She had known that Elliot would most likely move on since he never responded to her letter but she never expected him to be married.

Olivia was awoken by the buzzer being pressed over and over again. She tried to ignore it, but this person was persistent. Getting up, she groggily looked in the peephole and saw Elliot's face staring back at her. Before she could turn around and go back to bed, she heard him call out, "I know you're in there Liv, Melinda told me you came home." Olivia yanked the door open.

"How do you know where I live?"

"Melinda told, well not, I bribed her. Please let me in to explain." Olivia finally let him in only since she didn't want Trevor coming out and wondering why her buzzer kept ringing.

"How did you get up here? There is a doorman downstairs?" Elliot ignored her question and began his apology.

"Liv, I'm so sorry."

"Save it, Elliot. Shouldn't you be home with your wife?" Olivia said not looking at Elliot.

"Trevor was wrong, I'm not in love with her though."

"Oh, but you're married to her?"

"Look it's a long story, but I never meant to hurt you. You keep talking about a letter, I never got one at all. You have to belive me on that." Olivia looked into his eyes which seemed darker tonight. He took notice that she hadn't tried to deck him and started to move forward to her.

"I'm not ready to talk about it yet Elliot. I wrote you a letter 5 years ago and I thought when you didn't respond it was over for us. At first I was really upset, but it's been 5 years and I'm over it, I'm seeing Trevor and I'm fine with that."

"We're getting divorced!" Elliot shouted at her, hoping to knock some sense into her. It however didn't. Olivia began to walk to the doorway to open the door and show Elliot out, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. He kissed her abruptly, but before he could deepen she pulled herself away.

"You're married you can't be kissing me, you lost that chance."

"I'm still in love with you. I've always loved you, and I always will."

"Then why are you married?"

"She got pregnant."

"So you slept with her?"

"I was drunk, I don't remember."

"Nice excuse, please leave Elliot."

"Liv, can we just be friends then, if I can't be anything more?"

"We'll see." Olivia waited for Elliot to leave and eventually he did but not after one long soulful look at her. Olivia wasn't ready to love Elliot again, she may have still be in love with her, but she wasn't ready to begin a relationship with him, especially since he was married.

ONE MONTH LATER

Elliot had stopped talking about his personal life with Olivia, but he was still cordial and always had a cup of hot coffee waiting for her whenever she entered the squad room. He had decided to just be her friend until she was ready to move on and be more than a friend to him.

He had divorced Kathy after finding out that the twins, Lizzie and Dickie and Kathleen weren't even his own children and that he never slept with Kathy to have Maureen. His mind drifted.

_"Kathy, I don't think this is a good idea, it's never been tested out before," Malone whispered to his sister._

_"Shut up Kennedy and just do it! He's a little drunk anyway, if you slip this drug in his drink it will be fine, he wont' remember a thing." Malone may have been an ass to Olivia but he wasn't a bad person completely, however this pivotal moment in his life would determine which way he went. He went to the dark side. He walked up behind Elliot and waited until no one was looking and slipped the drug in his drink._

_"Now get him to go into that room." Kathy pointed to the empty room in the back of the frat house. Laughing to herself, Kathy watched as Malone convinced Elliot to follow him into the room. Kathy soon followed._

_Taking advantage of him and the situation, Kathy finally had a way to bind herself to him. She knew he was a honorable man and would marry someone he got pregnant. This is how she would get him forever and no one would stop that._

Elliot shook his head trying to remove the memory from his head. Malone had told him about it. Malone had felt so guilty and it pained him that he had once been so stupid that he told Elliot. Of course he got a severe deck to the face and a kick to the groin, but he accepted it for what he did to Elliot. He helped Kathy violate a man.

Elliot had filed for divorce within the week using Kennedy Malone to testify against Kathy, he won full custody of all four children, even if only one was actually his biological daughter. Three weeks later, Malone killed himself out of the guilt. Of course Kathy had accepted the charges against her and taken her brother's death quite easily. Elliot was positive it would not be the last of Kathy.

Olivia had warmed up to him after hearing about his terrible divorce and kids. She wasn't ready to invite him back to a relationship but she would be his friend no matter what. It was at least a step in the right direction.

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**Sorry if I get the charges wrong :( forgive me I'm not the best at crimes.**

**As for what Kathy did that night, I really don't think if a guy is drugged and drunk he can "perform" but for the sake of this story it happened.**

**Kennedy Malone is Malone, Kennedy is his first name.**

**Okay, after a couple of reviews, I'm sorry if this is not how some pictured it, but it's where the story is taking me.  
**


	6. Chapter 5

**Every Breath You Take**

**Chapter 5**

**Okay in this chapter we are moving forward 5 years. Olivia is now 29, Elliot 31.**

**Elliot's children are 9, 7, and 5.**

**It will start picking up, and no back and forth of the memories this time.**

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After five years of being partners together, Olivia and Elliot were perfectly in sync. They had grown closer over the years and they closure rate was 99% which was damn good. Olivia also felt like she had a family within the squad. Everyone had gotten closer and relied on each other. Olivia and Elliot had taken to eating dinner together, and often would rotate nights. Elliot's own children considered Olivia a very close friend. They liked having her around since it was like having a surrogate mother.

Elliot was glad to have Olivia back in his life. He did wish for more, but she was still seeing Trevor and it was becoming quite serious. and he wasn't going to interfere with that at all.

Olivia was sitting on the couch that night when she heard the door bell ring and she bounced up from the couch expecting it to be Elliot and his kids, but it was Trevor.

"Hey Liv, you haven't returned my calls, I understand you've been busy but I mean it's been a while but I understand if you don't want to see me anymore."

"No Trevor, that's not it, I'm sorry I've been so busy with the case and..." She saw Elliot and his kids walking up the stairwell with the traditional Chinese food.

"You're eating dinner with him? Is this why you've been avoiding me?" Trevor shot a hateful look at Elliot.

"Don't be so juvenile, we're friends. Please just let this go." Olivia didn't want to start a fight with Trevor again. Truth be told, they had been fighting a lot, and it had been due to the jealousy Trevor felt over Elliot. He was insecure and wasn't ready for this relationship. Trevor finally left her doorway and Elliot and his kids walked up.

"Hey Liv." Elliot said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey Liv," came the chorus of voices. Maureen the eldest hugged Olivia, and Kathleen was next. The twins hugged Olivia tightly around his legs. While he had won full custody of the kids, the twins were too young to realize what happened. They considered Olivia more of a mother they never had.

They set the dinner table getting ready to eat. Olivia and Elliot sat at the ends of the table with the four children on either side. Sometimes Olivia pretended she and Elliot were actually a family, but then reality would hit when they would leave for the night.

She always had fun with the kids, especially afterwards when they would pick out movies together and watch it on her TV. Tonight it was the Little Mermaid. The kids had gathered around on the floor sitting on the pillows. Elliot and Olivia occupied the couch watching the movie. Elliot had probably seen this movie over a hundred times having three girls, but it was Olivia's first time watching it.

Having never seen the Little Mermaid before, Olivia was actually quite interested in the plot and would often shush Elliot if he grumbled about how he had seen this for the millionth time. It was the little moments like these that Elliot truly cherished. Olivia was more excited about the movie than the kids. One Ursula grew to her enormous size Olivia screamed in shock and uphended the entire popcorn bowl all over Elliot and his clothes. They had been using butter and seasoning in the popcorn and now he felt the butter beginning to soak through his clothes. Thank god he had changed into sweats and a t shirt before they came over.

"OH, Elliot I'm so sorry!" Olivia immediately began blotting at his shirt with paper towels.

"Hey, it's okay, we can wash it, um...do you have any spare clothes?"

"Um...I may." Olivia and Elliot left the children to go check out her closet. She had lots of different outfits but very few that would fit a fully grown man. Elliot had stripped easily and now stood there with only his boxers and his socks on. Olivia was so engrossed in the closet she didn't even notice he had stripped.

"I have a large sweatpants, these are the only ones that fit my leg length but they're loose, so this should fit you and oh, here, my Marines shirt, it was always way too big, here's another large." She turned around and gave a little oh, as she saw Elliot there. He was definitely more muscular than he was when she last saw him with no shirt.

"Um...here?" She handed the clothes to him but never took her eyes off of him. He dressed quietly and as soon as he was finished he moved towards her. He backed her into the wall and was about to kiss her, when he heard a voice.

"Dad, where are you? The movie's over." It was Kathleen she was wandering around Olivia's apartment, getting very close to the door of Olivia's bedroom. Controlling himself, he pushed off of the wall and called out, "I'll be right there." He then moved closer to Olivia again and this time came very close to kissing her when he decided to opt for her cheek.

"Thanks for the clothes, we can wash mine before we leave." Elliot whispered in her ear. Olivia felt her hair stand on end from how seductive he practically sounded in her ear. The two left the room and joined the kids.

"Dad, Dickie is annoying me, he keeps wiping his dirty fingers all over me!" Kathleen whined. Olivia chuckled at the 5 year old who was laughing happily at his sister's disgust.

"Get away from me, gross!" Kathleen said moving away from her brother and using Olivia as a shield. Of course Dickie was laughing and wiped his hands all over Olivia's leg. He smiled and walked towards Olivia and raised his arms up wanting her to pick him up. She leaned down and picked him up. He grabbed on her shirt as she held him.

"Elliot, let's go wash your clothes." Carrying Dickie with her to the laundry room, she set him on the dryer and made sure he didn't fall down as she talked Elliot through how her washing machine and dryer worked.

"Why does it look so futuristic?" Elliot asked looking at the touch screen instead of the normal dials he had at his apartment. Olivia laughed in response at first.

"It doesn't, it just is newer. Look here, I guess we could wash it on warm, and then have it soak to help get the butter out." She pressed one part of the screen and it lit up. Then another screen start lighting up and the washing machine began to fill with water.

"And that's it." Elliot nodded still confused, but accepted it. The three left the washroom and went back to the living room.

"Okay, who wants to watch another movie?" Elliot asked since it was only 8 and he wanted to wear his clothes home.

* * *

Olivia was sleeping that night when she felt either someone or something watching her. Immediately grabbing her gun and turning the light on at the same time she aimed her gun at the person sitting in the chair. Only her gun was just a water gun. and her real gun was in the hand of Kathy Malone.

"You know, Liv." She said in a whisper, "You cops are all the same, I was married to Elliot for five years and he would always put his gun on the nightstand, and of course you would too. Silly, really." Kathy handled the gun quite easily, but of course she would seeing as her brother had been in the Marines.

"How did you get in here, I know the doormen didn't let you in, he doesn't let in tramps." Olivia spat out. She knew it wasn't good to rile Kathy up but she hated Kathy for what she did to Elliot.

"I have my ways." She laughed evilly. Before Olivia could say or do anything, Kathy brought up the gun quickly and pulled the trigger twice aiming for Olivia's shoulder. She felt the bullet tear through her shoulder and the second one tear right into her arm. Blinking back the tears of pain, Olivia was able to gasp out.

"What do you want Kathy?"

"I want you to stop spending time with Elliot, I may have a restraining order against our kids, but it doesn't stop me from seeing you." Kathy laughed maliciously. Olivia tried to stop the bleeding with her sheet wrapping it around her shoulder to staunch it.

"He's my partner, I can't stop spending time with him."

"Wrong answer, Benson." Kathy aimed the gun again and this time using a pillow to muffle the shot and aimed for Olivia's heart. She knew that Olivia didn't have the strength to fight back. Kathy easily left the room through the window taking Olivia's gun with her. Olivia tried to get near her phone, but she was quickly running out of energy. She used her last ounce of strength to grab the phone and press the number 2 button. But before she could say anything she had passed out from the blood loss.

"Liv?" Elliot spoke into the phone wondering why she would call him and not say anything. He hung up the phone and decided to go over to see if she was okay. It was unusual for her to call him so late when they weren't working on a case. Looking at the time, he saw 3 in the morning. _Definitely unusual._ He thought to himself. He slowly got dressed and hesitated before leaving afraid of leaving his children alone. He finally decided that he would just take his children he was too afraid to leave them behind. He quickly woke each of them up, and explained why that they had to leave. Maureen and Kathleen were easier to convince, but the twins didn't want to get up. He glanced at his watch, 3.45am. He had wasted enough time. He yanked the twins out of their beds and carried them to the car. Once they were all buckled, he high tailed it over to Olivia's place. But by the time he got there, there was already an ambulance and some police cars there.

"Stay in the car with the doors locked, you'll be safe okay?" Maureen nodded as Elliot then shut the door and ran into the crowd.

"I'm Detective Stabler, please let me through." After 5 minutes he was able to break through the sea of people and get near the other police.

"Detective Stabler, what happened?" He asked one of the cops standing around.

"A shooting, a woman was shot in her apartment three times it appears. And the perp got away."

"What's her name?" Elliot asked desperately. A bad feeling was already rising in the back of his throat.

"Don't know, but she's a police officer, had her badge on the night stand table, but no gun." Elliot knew it was Olivia, she was the only cop who lived the building. He spotted a stretcher in the ambulance and immediately ran towards that ambulance. And there she was, pale, passed out and bleeding, Olivia laid still on the stretcher. Elliot tried to get in, but a medic stopped him.

"She's got to get to the hospital sir, she's bleeding out." She was kind but firm with her words and gently pushed him back out. The ambulance began to move with the sirens starting. Elliot ran back to his car and started up his car to follow the ambulance on the way there he called Cragen, Fin, Munch, Melinda and Alex. When he got to the hospital he saw all of them there sitting or walking around nervously.

"What's going on? Has he said anything?" Elliot rushed towards them as quickly as he could with four tired children.

"I think she'll be okay." Melinda said softly, it was obvious she and Alex had been crying, their eyes were bloodshot and their noses were slightly runny.

"Has the doctor said anything?"

"No. He said he'll let us know as soon as possible." Cragen said tried to reassure him but he knew it wasn't helping Elliot at all.

"Come on man, let's just sit it out and wait for the doctor. We gotta just remain calm." Fin said putting a hand on Elliot's shoulder. Calming down was the last thing he wanted to do, he felt useless he wanted to do something to help Olivia. But Munch stepped in front of him, "The best thing you can do for Liv is to wait to hear, she wouldn't want you to this upset." Elliot seemed to listen and sat down waiting like everyone else.

It was two hours later when the doctor finally came out and talked to them.

"Is there a family member of Ms. Benson?"

"Me." Except it wasn't Elliot's voice that spoke, everyone quickly looked at the source of the voice and saw Trevor standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Elliot said enraged. Munch and Fin immediately stood up ready to hold Elliot back.

"She is my fiancee." Trevor said proudly.

"Blow it out your ass." Elliot angrily said.

"Don't believe me do you? You'll see." The poor doctor was confused on who to talk to, but eventually Melinda pulled him aside to get the information on Olivia as Trevor and Elliot began to size each other up for a fight."

"Ms. Benson was a very lucky women, the first bullet, only went through the tissue of her shoulder, the second, the same thing, however it was the last bullet. It came very close to nicking her heart but it was a through and through. She'll be out for a couple of hours, but when she wakes you can talk to her, however please limit it to one or two people, and they need to be calm." Melinda nodded and then relayed the message over to Alex, who then called out to everyone else.

"Hey, knock it off you two. " Alex said a commanding voice, sounding more like a judge than a lawyer. Trevor and Elliot actually backed off and looked at Alex. Fin and Munch even looked up thinking she was talking to them about knocking it off. Alex was a great lawyer but sometimes she could get scary when she was serious.

"Olivia is okay, she's still pretty weak, but straighten up you guys, she wouldn't want any of you fighting. Oh and Trevor, she is not engaged to you, she would have told either myself or Melinda so quit lying to get inside of her room. Elliot go first, she'd want you to be in there, we'll watch over your kids." Elliot moved forward but Trevor moved to stop him from moving. Cragen stepped in between Trevor and Elliot and told Elliot to just go.

Elliot entered the room and sat next to the form of Olivia. Although she had filled out quite nicely and was quite tall, she looked so frail and small in the bed. She was currently hooked up to a breathing machine and she had an IV in her arm. It seemed that Olivia was always getting hurt, but this time it was her life. Elliot took ahold of her hand and waited until she would wake up.

About an hour later Olivia began stirring, it was a small moan that alerted Elliot.

"Oh, ow." Olivia started to slightly move her hand but noticed that someone was holding it. Slowly blinking she focused her eyes on to the electric blue eyes staring back at her.

"Hi." He whispered to her. Olivia tried to speak more but found that the mouth piece that had been helping her breath in the way. She tried to remove it, but found that she was too weak to.

"Hey, I don't think the doctor's want you to do that." He said gently pushing her hand away from the mouth piece.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay. I really was worried back there in the ambulance. Please, Liv, don't ever scare me like that again. I lo- I care about you too much." He wasn't ready to say love again. Tears leaked out of Olivia's eyes. Elliot couldn't tell if it was from pain or from happiness.

"Okay, well I have to go since the nurses don't want me in the room for too long but I will come back later on, I think Cragen and Alex would like to talk to you about what happened tonight. Although that can wait until later when you're feeling up to it." Elliot stood up and slowly leaned down to give her a kiss on the forehead and left the room. The moment he did, he was immediately bombarded with questions.

"Is she okay?"

"How did she look?"

"What did the doctors say?"

"Can I see her?"

"Look everyone calm down, she just woke up and she's pretty out of it, they are keeping her here for a couple of days to make sure she gets out of the woods. As for seeing her not tonight, she needs to rest. She needs a lot of sleep. Alex, I think I want you to talk to her about getting her statement and Melinda I know she'll want to see you too." Elliot said ignoring the other questions. He was tired and he knew his kids were tired. Gathering them up he headed to the car.

He got Maureen and Kathleen in the car when he felt someone behind him. He turned around to see Kathy standing there with a gun pointing directly at him.

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**You didn't really think Kathy was gone did you? Sorry for the cliff hanger but don't worry. As for Kathy, she will definitely get what's coming to her.**

**As for why she's in the story, a story always needs an antagonist.  
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	7. Chapter 6

**Breathe**

**This does have profanity, more than any other chapter if this bothers you I'm sorry.**

**This will be a long chapter due to the extensive nature. This is also probably my least favorite chapter due to Kathy's nature. **

**Sorry on the delay: lots of things happening**

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Elliot waited for Kathy to do something, he knew that she could handle a gun very well and shoot faster than he could move. Dickie and Lizzie had moved behind him and were cowering in fear. While they may have been biologically hers they didn't see her as a mother more as a stranger who was wielding a gun at their daddy.

"I've waited for this moment for a long time Elliot. Jail has helped." Kathy laughed, and for a split second almost didn't see Elliot lunging. Quickly moving the gun upwards she took two shots right at Elliot's chest.

"Nice try, El, but it looks like you're getting rusty." She then moved towards Dickie and Lizzie who were crying and had peed their pants. She pulled out a syringe and since she was a lot bigger she was able to drug them. Maureen and Kathleen attacked her as she was prepared, but Kathleen moved off when she saw the gun pointing at Maureen's head.

"Do you think you really want to do that?" Kathleen shoke her head afraid of what her mother may do. She stepped back away from Kathy.

"Good, now get your siblings in their car seats." Kathleen almost didn't do it, but then she heard the gun click next to Maureen's head. Maureen was crying afraid of what would happen to her.

Kathy pulled out another syringe and careful keeping the gun aimed at Maureen she injected Maureen and then moved the gun onto Kathleen making sure she didn't pull anything. Moving away from Maureen and letting her crumple to the ground she grabbed Kathleen and injected another shot into her.

"Oh almost forgot you were there, El." She said maliciously, hearing his gasps of pain. She squatted down right next to him and then raised the butt of the gun and brought it down. She got Maureen and Kathleen in their respective seats and making sure to take Elliot's keys, she drove away leaving Elliot for dead.

Luckily for Elliot, Melinda came to the parking lot 15 minutes later and saw him. She didn't realize who it was until she got closer.

"Elliot!" Falling to her knees, she tried to assess the damage in the dim light without hurting him.

"Captain! Elliot's been shot, he's in the parking lot, get someone to come down here!" Melinda shouted in the open phone and then she tried to help the bleeding, but he was losing blood too fast.

"Excuse me ma'am." Two friendly male paramedics spoke and they quickly lifted Elliot on to the stretcher and began wheeling it quickly back into the hospital emergency room.

"Male, appears to be in his early 30's, shot twice near the heart." The taller paramedic shouted as they entered the hospital. The doctor who had operated on Olivia began running with them and started shouting out orders.

"Okay, people, got another person who needs to go into surgery!" Nodding his head at his residents and interns, they began following the available ER.

On the upper levels where Olivia was still in ICU, Melinda ran crying to them.

"Elliot's been shot!"

"What, two of our detectives in one night?" Cragen said worriedly.

"What if it's someone targeting our unit?" Munch said realizing that if 2 of the 7 people who worked closely with SVU were being shot, there could easily be more.

"What was his condition when he went in?" Alex asked.

"He was critical, he took two shots right near or in the heart, I couldn't tell if they hit his heart or not. It looked like it, I can't believe it." Melinda said, she was close to tears again.

"But, did you see who shot him? Alex asked very insistently.

"No, no one was there. Oh, my god his children! They weren't there!" Melinda realized.

"Okay, Fin and Munch go back to the squad and we're going to find out where Elliot's car is, it has a GPS system in it right?" Cragen speculated.

"Yes, you're right, it has one." Munch nodded. "We can ask Taru to look it up."

"What about Kathy?" Munch suggested.

"Duh." Alex said realizing that Kathy was off of her rocker and had just gotten out of jail, "She just got out of jail for good behavior!" She said smacking her head.

"Why weren't we alerted?" Cragen demanded.

"It was just processed earlier today, and I didn't think about it after all of the hub bub from today." Alex then pulled out of her phone and walked away as the number was dialing.

"Hi, Judge Donnelley, yes." Alex had know walked out earshot.

"Okay, I hate to do this, but waiting for Olivia to be ready to talk and for Elliot to get out of surgery will take to find out where Kathy is now. Fin and Munch, let's go, perhaps, Alex can stay with Melinda to wait for Olivia and Elliot. It was at that moment Alex came back.

"So Kathy got out on good behavior, but I think she has some friends in higher places which allowed her to get out so soon. She was sentenced to at least serving 10, but she got out on 5, which is totally ridiculous. There is no way that she got out for good behavior, for the crime she did? Ha." If it wasn't such a serious situation, Munch would have laughed at how she was reacting.

"Okay, Alex, can you and Melinda stay with Olivia and Elliot. We have to go and find Kathy."

"Of course, captain, we'll let you know when they wake up." Melinda said nodding. Cragen, Fin and Munch quickly left to go back to the squad room and to get Taru.

"It's simple really, okay, I'll activate the GPS remotely from the computer and, oh no." Taru said as he was typing.

"What what?" Cragen yelled, his face turning red.

"The GPS is not active, so either they've been able to damage it, or the car is not on."

"You mean to tell me that we can't locate the car because it's not in use or she disabled it?"

"It's just like a cell phone, if the car isn't on, the GPS cannot be tracked. I'm thinking the car isn't on rather than it being disabled. Kathy is many things but not a technician."

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Munch asked.

"Yes, we can wait for the car to turn on or get a number for Kathy...I'm sure she's smarter than to leave the cell phone on."

"Okay, we'll let's hope she turns on the cell phone soon." Cragen said walking away back into his office to check something.

"Hey, I found something!" Fin yelled. Munch and Taru looked over.

"It looks like Kathy has a friend in jail who has a friend in a high place. Here is his jail record. John Gomez." Fin pulled up a rap sheet.

"He is in jail for life, after murdering 15 people, oh wow." Munch read as the details were just getting so repulsive and sickening he couldn't read anymore.

"Oh, look at this, Judge Donelley put him on death row, but Judge Howard* put him on a life sentence. Looky here, Judge Howard is a crooked judge, apparently he puts many convicted felons who have committed heinous crimes are put are on reduced sentences or life sentences." Fin was reading out loud.

"Hey can I see?" Taru said pointing to the computer. Fin rolled out of the way to let Taru work on the computer. He was entering all these different codes and finally another page came up.

"Okay look at this."

"Oh wow, we definitely need to talk to this judge." Fin said as he went to talk to Cragen.

It was around 5 in the morning when Olivia slowly woke up again and she saw Alex sitting there waiting for her.

"Hey, trooper."

"Oh I feel like I've been shot." Olivia groaned as she felt the pain wash over he.

"You were, 3 times." Alex said.

"Where's Elliot, he said he'd be here?"

"Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush. Elliot was shot by who we think was Kathy." Olivia began getting up, but was immediately stopped by Alex.

"Whoa, I don't think so."

"I have to see him."

"He's still in surgery and I need to take your statement." Alex brought out a tape recorder. "Speak."

"Oh. I'll speak as much as I can before I get too tired. Elliot and the kids had been over earlier that night, and I was sleeping. I don't know what woke me up, but I saw Kathy sitting in my chair with my gun. She said that she knew I'd have my gun on the bedside table because it's where Elliot always put his. We had our words and then she shot me, three times. I was able to call Elliot, but I don't remember what happened after that. She has my gun, she has it." Olivia stopped as she clutched her side. While she was hit near the heart, every part of her body seemed to ache except her legs.

"Okay that's good, but I think now you should definitely relax. I'm sorry that you had to speak but I want to start making a case now. I will tell Cragen your gun is missing perhaps we can track your gun through that."

"No, you need it. Please tell me when Elliot is out of surgery."

"I will." Alex left Olivia to take a nap and relax. Olivia moved a little bit to get more comfortable and decided to get some more sleep.

Elliot was out of surgery around 7 that morning, due to the close range of the two gun shots, the doctors were afraid that the damage was worse than appeared. While it was an extensive surgery, Elliot was lucky that Kathy hadn't shot any closer or she would have hit him right in the heart.

When he finally did wake up he saw Melinda there. She had been crying, it was obvious from the sniffly nose and the red eyes.

"What happened?"

"You were shot Elliot, do you remember what happened?"

"The kids!" Elliot shouted as he started to move, but Melinda immediately used her body to push Elliot back into the bed.

"We're looking for them right now. The best thing for you to do is to relax and not stress out, I understand your children are the most important thing to you, but please let us do our job. I will let you know as soon I know."

"I don't know what I would do if Kathy ever hurt them." Elliot said beginning to cry.

"Elliot try not to be too stressed. You're going to stress yourself out and it's not good for your heart. You've been shot." Elliot listened to Melinda's words and tried to calm himself down but it was really hard for him to do since his heart monitor still kept going up until it finally leveled out and started to slowly go back down.

"Okay, I'll try. But you have to let me know, if anything happens to my kids, I don't know what I would do."

"Don't think like that, Olivia wouldn't want you to."

"How is she?"

"Well according to Alex she's sleeping and she gave her statement, but it will be a long recovery for both of you. So try to be calm and not tear the 50 stitches you have."

* * *

"Okay Captain, her GPS is back up and she's heading towards Canada."

"There is no way we can intercept her on time, let's get the Candian police in on this," Fin stated.

"Okay, we'll do that." Cragen said. It was easy to get in contact with Canadian police after explaining the situation. They had Cragen on the radio as the followed the car.

"We're in pursuit. She's not pulling over, but we've got four cars on her."

"Be careful, there is four children there. We don't want to hurt any of them."

"Got you captain." Captain Williams said as he relayed he message to his other officers as they converged on the car. It was easy to converge on the car, but it was hard to get her to stop without hurting the kids. It was also hard to confirm the target.

"Captain Cragen, we cannot confirm target...repeat we cannot confirm target."

"What do you mean? You said it's the car."

"We cannot tell if it's Kathy Malone in the car or not."

"Well, this license plaate was confirmed and this the car the GPS system matches to, it's her."

"Well there isn't much I can do unless I can actually crash into the car, we can't get a shot and I don't want to take a chance that it may actually be the kids. We can hit from the side and the back, but she is still going too fast to hit him from the front."

Cragen thought for a bit but due to the urgency from Captain Williams he finally decided to do what he did not want to do.

"Hit the car." He closed his eyes as he heard the smashing of the four cars into the one car. He felt that he was the one that put the death sentence on Elliot's kids.

"Sir! There were no kids in the car in fact, it was a man not Kathy. I guess she had someone trade cars and she is in another one." It was Captain Williams voice that came over the radio 15 minutes later.

"We're back at square one." Fin stated suddenly, upset that they hadn't even thought that Kathy may have had someone to switch cars out.

"Where do we go from now?"

"I guess we track back to this Judge Howard and find out more on this Gomez. I didn't think Kathy would be like this, but I guess the divorce hit her harder than we expected." Cragen said as he read.

"Well, gee seeing as all of my 6 wives seem to deal with the alimony checks I sign each year, I'm sure Kathy just has a few screws loose."

"A few? How about all?" Fin stated as he took his copies of the rap sheets for Judge Howard and Gomez to his desk.

"Okay, let's get working on this. We need to find those kids and Kathy now."

* * *

"Okay kids, let's see, you're Daddy's probably dead, and I know that bitch Olivia is dead. God she aggravates me. At least I have my kids back thanks to Gomez I'm glad that I got that man to switch cars. I'm smarter than that." Kathy was speaking to herself as she sat in the car cutting her hair to a shorter hair do so it looked less like her and more like a new person. She held the hair dye and read the instructions.

"Okay, well I'll dye this when we get to the motel, I can't be doing this in the car."

Kathy was in a small inconspicuous black car that she had traded for the big black standard SVU that Elliot drove for the police on occasion.

Kathy was able to keep reinjecting the kids to make sure they stayed asleep until she was ready to deal with them. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with them but she didn't want Elliot to have them.

"He took you from me, and he will never get you back. I loved him, I gave him everything. Such an ungrateful man." Kathy was now speaking again looking in the mirror to make sure she looked different.

She was in the small town Everwood currently and it seemed to be fine and small. No one knew her even though they knew everything, but she wanted to stay here for a bit and then get moving, if someone found out where they were. But first she had to buy a couple of things before she could leave. She was running out of her drug, and this place sold some of the ingredients to make it.

* * *

Elliot woke up again and this time it was Olivia who was staring back at him.

"Hey." Elliot whispered to Olivia who smiled back at him, however it was a weak smile since she still hurt. While Elliot was hit closer to the heart, he was still on his medications while they were weaning Olivia off of hers. In fact she would be discharged later that day.

"I heard you were in the hospital, what happened?"

"Kathy shot me, she took the kids...she took them Liv, what am I going to do?" Elliot was crying again.

"We're looking for them. I get discharged today. I'll start working on the case later today. I think you get discharged later." Olivia stated softly holding his hand.

"She's crazy, Liv, she's crazy, you have to find her." Elliot murmured to her squeezing her hand.

Olivia finally had been discharged and with the other detectives working on the case. She found out that Alex did indeed tell Cragen that Kathy had her gun.

"Okay, so this Judge Howard reduced Gomez's sentence and somehow Gomez met Kathy and helped her get out on good behavoir?" Olivia asked.

"That's what it looks like, I can't believe it. She's such a nut."

"You don't have to tell me." Olivia responded rubbing the bandages still on her arm. She had gotten stitches, but they put a bandage over them since the work she in required lots of moving at work.

"Do we have any idea where she could be, she's had them for almost a day now?"

"No, but I talked with John Gomez and he's not giving up anything at all. Said that he would never betray her." Fin mentioned.

"Captain! We're in luck!" Taru shouted. All four of them rushed over looking at his screen.

"Okay, while Kathy was smart enough to switch cards, I found out where she is when she used her card."

"What if she had someone switch those too?" Olivia asked.

"That's what I thought at first, but using her other records, she had to sign the receipt and it matches her signature...she's in a town Everwood. We may or may not get there in time, but it's a definite start."

"Alright, finally a break, let's notify their police." Cragen spoke as he had already started calling other people to get to make sure the warrant of arrest was still valid.

"Let's go!" Fin, Munch and Olivia spoke running out of the squad room to meet the Everwood police.

"Alright, we got the picture you scanned over, and it's definitely her. We sent it out to all of our major businesses to let them know. She has four kids with her, they always appear to be sleeping. She cut and dyed her hair. I got a good look at her face." Captain Jones was talking to the detectives.

"Okay, where is she?"

"Alright, Maggie, our local hotel manager spotted her when she checked in for the night."

"Is she still there?"

"Yes, according to Maggie, Maggie called me when she saw her."

"Okay, let's go over." Munch stated as he looked around the small police office.

"We don't have many people, but we'll try to help you as much as we can. But we are a small town and rarely ever have problems."

"We appreciate everything you're doing for us." Olivia said smiling at Captain Jones. Olivia appreciated everything they were doing, putting themselves in danger for them.

Captain Jones, Lt. Ryder, and a couple of other policemen joined them as they converged on the hotel. They walked over rather than using the cars as to not alert Kathy.

"She's in room, 204. Be careful, the kids are in there." Maggie whispered as she handed the key over to Captain Jones. The 7 people quietly walked up the stairs as they prepared to surprise Kathy.

"My gun had 6 clips in it, she's used 5. I don't know if there is one last bullet in there or not, so please she may hurt the kids." Olivia whispered as they waited outside to hear some movement or at least a voice. Captain Jones nodded before he kicked in the door. Both he and Olivia ran in first, with Fin and Munch following right after them.

Olivia using the replacement gun she was given lifted her gun and shot straight at Kathy's heart without thinking about it. Kathy was never ready for it.

"Damn girl," Fin spoke looking at the dead body of Kathy.

"Detectives!" Lt. Ryder shouted. The three detectives ran in and saw the bodies of the children.

"Are they?" Olivia whispered.

"It looks like they've just been drugged. We'll bring them over to our hospital to get them back to their healthy selves." One of the policemen stated.

"Thank you," Munch said.

It was around 5 at night when Elliot awoke and saw his children sitting all around him and Olivia.

"Daddy!" All of his kids immediately hugged them as he was waking up.

"Watch out for your daddy's stitches," Olivia warned.

"Liv saved us!" Dickie clamored as he hung on to his dad's neck.

"I'm glad she did." Elliot said, hugging all of his children back and whispering his thanks to Olivia.

* * *

**Okay, Kathy's dead, but it's not the end yet...thanks for everyone who has read and reviewed, it has helped. I'm sorry if this chapter was not my best, but it had to be written to continue the next story.**

**P.S. Taru is not his name its actually TARU Technician Rueben. **

**As for GPS, not sure if it's actually true but I thought of it as a cell phone.**

**Oh and I made Kathy's sentencing so harsh because it is considered the first rape case of a man that won.**

***Made up Judge.**

**Everwood is actually the name of a show but I really liked the name, so I used it in this story.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Haunted**

**This chapter introduces another antagonist and familiar face...**

**By the way, there is bedroom scene [sorry to blurt it out] in case any is bothered by it, I'm sorry.**

* * *

It had been a couple of months since Elliot's kids were returned to him after Kathy had taken them. Yet in that month, many things had happened. First Olivia was currently under investigation by the IAB for shooting Kathy to kill rather than to hurt. While everyone in the squad including Alex, and Melinda agreed with shooting the women who not only stole Olivia's gun, shot her, and Elliot and kidnapped Elliot's kids should be dead, the IAB felt that Olivia was premature in her decision and shouldn't have been on the case to begin with.

"Don, Benson shouldn't have been on the case, you know that." Ed Tucker said as he looked at Cragen. While Tucker may have been below the rank of a Captain, he still had ruling authority over Cragen due to his power in IAB. Tucker, Cragen and Huang were in a conference room. Cragen had invited Huang to join as his back up to support Olivia's reasoning for shooting Kathy.

"I know that, but she needed to be on the case, she was the only one that could identify Kathy as her shooter. At the time Elliot was un able to identify his shooter because he was on morphine and you know that no judge would take that as a valid ID due to the medicine he was on. Olivia was already off when she made her ID."

"So that would have made her a witness, not viable for being back on the case You said it yourself that had it been anyone else they would have a desk job." Tucker argued.

"She wasn't working on her own, she was working on Elliot's case since he needed to find his children, she promised him that."

"That's another thing, the partnership between Benson and Stabler is becoming too close, I want you to break them up. They're letting their personal lives become too involved with their professional lives. They've been the longest partners, no partnership lasts as long as theirs."

"Fi n and Munch?" Cragen pointed out.

"No female and male partnership has lasted this long, something is not right, and I want you to fix it."

"Breaking them up would not be wise, they are completely in sync and understand the other person before they have to consider making a move." Huang stated quickly, not wanting Olivia and Elliot to be forced to break up their partnership.

"Exactly, they are too involved, either you break them up Cragen, or I will, and trust me, they may not like if you break them up, but they definitely won't like it if I do." Tucker stood up and left.

"They are not going to be happy." Huang stated the obvious, which was in his nature. Cragen excited the conference room and called in his best detectives into the room.

"Stabler, Benson!" Olivia had been listening to Munch's conspiracy theories while Elliot had been talking to Fin about the yearly dance held by the entire police force. Olivia was very grateful that she had been called since Munch's conspiracy theories also bored her to death.

"Yeah, cap?"

"I need to talk to you to...and it's not going to be easy." Suddenly worried, Olivia and Elliot glanced at each other before following Cragen in.

"Please sit down." Olivia and Elliot of course sat next to each other and stared right at Cragen wondering why he was so somber all of a sudden.

"I'm sure both of you saw Ed Tucker leave the conference room a couple of minutes ago,"

"Yeah, he's a prick." Elliot said before he could stop himself. Olivia shot him a look before putting her full attention back onto Cragen.

"Well, call him whatever you like, but he wants me to split you up and give you new partners." Cragen almost closed his eyes fearing the absolute worst coming from Elliot, but in fact it was Olivia who seemed to explode.

"What? He can't do that can he? We have a 99% closure rate together! Why is he risking that?" Olivia shouted.

"Liv, let's hear him out on why he wants this first." Elliot tried to reason, but Olivia was having none of that.

"No, Tucker is just an upset old man who doesn't get laid." Huang chuckled softly at that, because in fact that's what he picked up off of Tucker when he read him one day.

"Okay, Olivia you need to calm down, I don't make these decisions I just follow them."

"Can't you do anything captain, we work the best together." Elliot pleaded.

"Look, if you willingly break up now, with me, I can just switch out partners, meaning Olivia you'll be paired with Fin and Elliot Munch, but if you don't, Tucker will do something and I know you won't like what he has in mind."

"You have to do something!" Olivia protested.

"Either I do it or Tucker does it and trust me, you'd rather me do it." Cragen said, knowing full well what Tucker was up to.

"Okay, we'll split." Elliot said resigning to defeat.

"Okay, but think of this, you'll still keep the same desk positions and you can work on cases together you just won't go out on the field together." Olivia nodded much calmer than she had been a few minutes ago.

"Thanks captain." Olivia said as she got up, realizing that the captain was still keeping them together just not officially. The pair left the room.

"The dance is this Friday...I was wondering if you would um...well accompany me to it." Elliot stumbled over his words as he tried to ask Olivia.

"Of course, I'll go, I was afraid Munch would ask me." Olivia whispered as they neared the desks. This would be their first formal date since the prom they went to over 10 years ago. Elliot was hoping this was the moment that would push their friendship into something more. He had been waiting for a moment like this for quite some time.

"It's a date." Elliot said, immediately regretting he had placed a label on it. He didn't want to rush anything with Olivia.

"Alright, I guess pick me up at 7?" Elliot nodded and the pair got back to work.

"So Elliot asked you to the dance?" Melinda was having more fun talking to Olivia than working on the body she was supposed to have finish an hour ago.

"Yes, he just asked me out of the blue. I was hoping he would though." Olivia said as she walked around the morgue. "The place gives me the creeps! How can you work down here?"

"I guess I got used to it, Look I'll put this body back up and we can call Alex to come meet us for lunch."

"Definitely, anything but this place." Olivia said shivering.

The pair met Alex at the local diner down the street from the precinct and were already ordering when A,lex came. Over the 5 years of knowing each other they had become very close.

"Dish." Alex said as she scooted in closer to hear Olivia talk about Elliot.

"Elliot asked her out!" Melinda squealed.

"Finally!" Alex said raising her hands in a hallelujah.

"Well to the dance." Olivia amended.

"Doesn't matter, it's still a date. Um...Liv, speaking of the dance...Trevor asked me..." Alex was kind of muttering it so Olivia barely heard it, but she was able to gather enough information to realize Alex was afraid to ask her something.

" What was that, I didn't quite catch the last part."

"Trevor asked me to the dance, and well I know you dated him eand everything, but its' been awhile, but I understand if you don't want me to go with him, since he is your ex, and it's like dating the enemy and." Alex was definitely babbling afraid of what Olivia may think.

"Alex, it's okay, don't worry, Trevor and I have been long over. We never really started anyway. I was in love with Elliot when I was seeing Trevor and it wasn't fair to him. Besides I know you've been smitten with him for some time." Olivia said nudging her with a smile.

"No, that's not true, he's always on the other side of me in cases and it makes it hard to date and be objective. But I really like him so I think we'll give it a go for now."

"That's great Alex." Melinda said as she munched into her salad.

"Yeah it really is." Olivia said as she smiled eating her grilled chicken sandwich.

It was later in the night that one would find Olivia in her room trying on a couple of different dresses trying to find the right one to wear to the event that night.

She finally settled on a jewel neckline deep purple dress. It hugged her on all of the right places. It landed right around her knees and showed off her excellent shoulders and her neck. She slipped into low heels since if she were to wear heels she would be taller than Elliot he was only 6'0".

Elliot arrived exactly at 7 sharp and knocked on her door and his jaw dropped when he saw the dream that opened the door.

"Wow, Liv, you look just...wow." He was lost for words. Olivia had her hair in an updo and it was slightly a bun with some tendrils coming loose but it was all very simple and nice. She looked so nice for someone who could get all gritty and dirty.

"Thank, you don't look so bad yourself," She said laughing as Elliot had hardly noticed that she was down the hall.

"Come on, El." Elliot caught up with her and did a daring move by grabbing her hand. She smiled and they walked down the stairs together holding hands. This was what Olivia needed to make sure the signs that Elliot had been giving were correct. He wanted a relationship again and this time around she was ready to give one.

When they entered the basement of the precinct it didn't look like the same building at all. It had been decorated to a nice theme of blues, purples, and whites. It was all very subtle, and Olivia couldn't believe it was the same room, it felt and looked different.

"Wow." Elliot commented as he looked around.

"Wow is right." Alex said as she came up with Trevor. Elliot gave Trevor a disdainful look before smiling at Alex.

"Hi Alex." Alex was wearing a nice emerald colored dress it was strapless and of course it fit her like a glove.

"Alex! You look great!" Olivia said as she turned around and hugged her.

"So do you!" Alex said loudly, but when they hugged, she whispered, "Elliot just wants to eat you up, literally!" The two pulled away giggling leaving their poor men confused.

It wasn't long before Melinda walked in wearing a sapphire colored dress, it was more flowy than the other two and went to the floor.

"Oh, was it supposed to be short dress? I feel out of place wearing a floor length," Melinda said looking at the other two women.

"I don't think so, this is all I had." Olivia said not even thinking about wearing her prom dress to this dance.

"You look gorgeous!" Alex said in a singsong voice as she noticed Fin standing behind Melinda awkwardly.

"Hey Fin!" Olivia said, as she nudged Elliot to look over who had just entered. Munch had entered with a beautiful woman she looked to be about his age, but looked very nice. Fin walked over to Elliot and Olivia and glanced at what they were staring at."

"Wow, I didn't even know he could get a date, let alone a good looking one like that," Fin muttered to Elliot. the woman walked beside Munch and smiled at anyone who looked their way.

"Hey guys," Munch said to Alex, Olivia, Melinda, Elliot Trevor and Fin. They all said hey back waiting for Munch's introduction of his mystery lady.

"This is Miranda, Miranda meet, Olivia, Elliot, Alex, Trevor, Melinda and then my partner Fin." Miranda shook all of their hands.

"It's so nice to meet you, John has told me so much about you guys." Olivia glanced at Elliot before thinking of how to answer. Truth be told, Munch had never mentioned anyone to them besides his ex wives and those were never with fond memories. It appeared everyone was at a loss for words. Before anyone else could ponder on how to think of something to say, Cragen joined the group.

"Hey, Olivia, Elliot, ah good to see you Dr. Warner, Fin, Munch, Alex, Mr. Langen, and uh." He drew a blank on the last woman, he felt as if he knew her already but couldn't place her.

"Hi, Don." She spoke with a tone that was reminiscent of knowing him. He shook her hand but pushed it out of his mind that he may have known her. In fact, Miranda was his first crush in middle school many years ago, but they had lost contact after he had married Peggy, but had since died, but he never forgot about Miranda. Only problem was, he couldn't remember that Miranda was her name.

A song began to play and the couples began dispersing onto the dance floor. Elliot pulled Olivia close and held her as they danced. The song was Amazed by Lonestar, and some parts Elliot actually sang to her.

"Baby, I'm amazed by you." Elliot whispered to her.

"Do you mean that?" Olivia asked making sure she was making the right decision.

"I always will." Olivia leaned up slightly to brush her lips against his. It was almost as if no one else was in the room, and it was just the pair dancing. Elliot leaned down again to kiss her. They thought no one had seen the kisses but someone had, and that someone was not happy at all.

Elliot and Olivia were giggling as he walked her up to her apartment door. They had a little more to drink than they expected and took a cab instead.

"El, stop it, you're gonna wake someone up." Olivia whispered in a very loud voice complaining about Elliot stomping up the stairs. Elliot giggled as he pushed Olivia up the steps. It was a miracle they made it to her door without 1. waking someone up and 2. breaking a body part.

Olivia was trying to unlock her door but was having trouble, it was when Elliot stepped closer, his entire back pressing against hers she dropped her keys. Luckily Elliot had fast reflexes and caught them and pushed them into the keyhole and opened the door.

Once the pair got inside, Olivia kicked off her shoes and turned back to Elliot who had gotten a lot closer than she expected and ran into him. He snaked his arms around her and brought his lips down to hers. Olivia kissed back with as much fervor. It was hard to tell exactly what caused the clothes to come off, but quickly her dress was yanked, but at least gently off. She had ripped his tie off throwing it somewhere in the room, his shirt had come right after, along with his undershirt.

Elliot was kissing her and pushing her back into the bedroom. He had been in her apartment plenty of times to know where she slept. Her hands slowly undid his belt, and the button and the zipper on his pants. His pants fell to the ground and he stepped out of them. They were now only in their underwear, but Elliot quickly fixed that by unclasping her bra and pulling her underwear down and then his. He carefully steered them into the bedroom as he kissed her.

They fell into the bed together. Things were getting very heated and Elliot was on top of her admiring her body.

"You're so beautiful, Liv, you have just become so gorgeous." Elliot whispered as he looked at her body, while she had never been a big cup size, her boobs were full and perky at a cup size B, and her waist was defined and gently sloped into her hips, she had always been gorgeous to Elliot, but it seemed as time went on, she became more gorgeous than ever. It was easier to see why she didn't have many friends in the Marines, even dirty she still looked pretty.

He pressed a kiss to her temple before he did anything afraid Olivia wasn't ready.

"I've been ready ever since that night." Olivia said whispering in his ear referring to their prom night. Her hand found it's way between them and slowly stroked his erection and then guided it towards her. He pushed inside, feeling the warmth of her walls and it was heaven. He felt more than heard Olivia gasps breath across his ears. Her hands moved all over his body, from gripping his butt to running her nails across his back, she was in pure ecstasy. She couldn't believe this was what she had been missing all of these years.

Elliot slid off of Olivia panting, it had been amazing for him and when he had his release it came almost unexpectedly. He didn't want to stop, she felt so good, as if he was built for her. The pair laid in the bed panting and eventually they fell asleep with Elliot's arm wrapped around her.

* * *

It was 5.30 in the morning when one of their phones went off and a sleepy eyed figured grasped the phone.

"Benson."

"Olivia why are you answering Elliot's phone?" Olivia immediately awoke and pulled the phone away and saw that it was Fin calling.

"Fin?"

"Yeah, where's Elliot?"

"Uh, hold on." She handed the phone over to Elliot who groggily took it.

"Stabler, oh okay, really, alright I'll get ready. Yes I'll tell her that too." Leaning over to kiss Olivia on the forehead, Elliot put his phone on the other bedside table.

"So Fin said he wasn't going to rat us out for spending the night together, since it's not really against the policy, I just don't want to get us to get in trouble because someone feels we're not doing our job."

"Don't worry." Olivia said as she got up and began dress in her own clothes.

"I know but I know how Cragen is on the rules, he doesn't want us getting in trouble. Olivia dressed in her usual clothes and Elliot dressed in his clothes from last night hoping too many people wouldn't notice.

They entered the squad room to see a depressing sight, Ed Tucker was waiting for them. Elliot bit back a rude remark that was on the tip of his tongue.

"Well hello Detective Stabler, I see we didn't have enough time to switch into regular clothes."

"It's 6 in the morning what do you expect?" Elliot spat out to the man.

"Well it appears Detective Benson can dress herself in clean clothes." Tucker stated his hands gesturing in Olivia's direction.

"I told you Don, to split them up, but apparently you couldn't listen. Detective Stabler say hello to your new partner." Tucker made a come hither sign to someone who wasn't visible, but when she walked out, Olivia felt insanely jealous. She had blondish curly hair and was actually quite tall, she was Olivia's height.

"New partner? Munch was my partner."

"Well after your display last night and your clothes this morning, it proves to me that you need a new partner. Meet Detective Dani Beck." Dani stuck her hand out to shake Elliot's but he ignored it and turned back to Cragen.

"Captain, you have to do something." Olivia said suddenly worried what might happen to her.

"Oh, and Detective Benson, you're being transferred out of SVU into computer crimes."

"But this is my life! You can't come in here and do this to us."

"I just did." And with that Ed Tucker left leaving the paperwork in Cragen's hands. Olivia, Elliot, Fin and Munch turned away from Dani letting her stand in the middle of the squad room by herself.

* * *

**Thank you for the reviews.**

**Oh if you're not too sure on what a jewel neckline dress is just look it up and it will show you on google.**

**Miranda becomes a more important character a bit later on.  
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	9. Chapter 8

**Then**

**This chapter follows very closely to an actual SVU episode, all rights go to Dick Wolf though.**

**I am trying to keep this chapter as clear and concise as I can but it can be confusing.**

**Sorry on the length too.**

**And in case it's been hard to keep up, it has been 15 years...This is the second to last chapter. The last chapter is purely fun.**

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* * *

**

Olivia sat at her desk thinking of Elliot. It had been two weeks since she had been transferred back into Computer Crimes. She missed her old friends. Of course Melinda visited often whenever she wasn't in the morgue and Elliot did too. While he did see her at work, it was hard for Olivia since their relationship which had only begun was already having trouble since they never saw each other anymore and when he did have a minute, he would always be with Dani. _God, I hate her...this must be how Kathy felt, at least I won't try to kill Beck_. Olivia though to herself.

It was odd getting used to not having live victims although she did come and help SVU when their cases involved computers. When she didn't help them she did have to get back to Computer Crimes in case Tucker was checking in on her to make sure she did her job.

Her phone rang bringing her out of her trance. She answered.

"Benson." While in Computer Crimes she didn't need to answer with her last name it was out of habit that she still did.

"Hey, Liv, it's El, we need you up here." Elliot spoke into the phone.

Olivia walked up to the SVU squad room and saw that Elliot was talking to Munch and Fin was getting coffee. She felt annoyed that Dani was sitting in her desk across from Elliot. Pushing her annoyance out of her mind, she walked up to Elliot.

"Hey." Olivia smiled at Elliot wishing they were alone.

"Hey, Liv, it's great you're here, we're going to debrief you on this case. It's a big and important case and we need all the man power we can get, besides I think Cragen misses you."

"A woman was found in the garbage with a fur coat covering her. Her name is Livia Tayas. She was dead less than 12 hours, but she had trauma on the left side of her face and torso, the rape kit was positive. Her tongue has also been cut out." Elliot stated as he showed Olivia the pictures on the board. Olivia was sickened at the pictures but the years of working in SVU had helped her not be so affected.

"We've interviewed different people and looked at the apartment but it was very simplistic. It appears that she just appeared, all credit cards and ID were created a couple of years ago." Fin stated.

"She was covered in cocaine too, we think she may be a dealer. We also asked Sister Peg about her." Munch stated.

"Later on, we found out that she was an undercover agent that was put in by the DEA to open up a huge Columbian drug deal."

"We do have a lead, on a Columbian drug dealer. Rafael Zapata, but the problem was, we didn't have any thing linking them together. We have been talking to a man but I'd rather not say his name. He doesn't wasn't to talk about the information he gave. Which helped Alex get the warrant and link Zapata to Tayas." Elliot said.

"Thankfully Alex asked for bail and it was set at 5 million dollars. However, the search warrant is unstable if the judge doesn't ." Fin said.

"So, Fin and I need to meet him since the judge wants to see if he is a CI. We're actually going to meet Rafeal Zapata and his lawyer," Elliot stated.

"Do you want to come along?" Elliot asked ignoring Dani's protests of Olivia not officially working in the department anymore.

"Yes of course, perhaps I'll sit in with Alex, see if we can intimidate him."

"Liv, be careful, he's a crazy man." Elliot whispered to her only.

"I will be." On the car ride over Olivia read the case file and knew the entire case perfectly as if she had been on it the entire time.

Alex was waiting for Zapata's lawyer Lionel Granger and Zapata himself to show up so she could give him the deal that her boss told her to make. She couldn't believe he wanted her to offer a lunatic manslaughter. He claimed she didn't need to win this one, and if she tried to, her own life would be threatened. She heard a knock on the door and was delighted to see Olivia.

"Liv! I feel like I haven't seen you in awhile, I've been so busy in cases! Let's get dinner later today!" Alex asked.

"Yes definitely."

"So what brings you here?"

"Actually, I thought I would join on your meeting, I know it's not usual, but Elliot told me that you may want some back up."

"Yeah, that's fine I'm sure you'll be able to help, you've been briefed on the case?"

"Yes, I have. I miss not being in SVU."

"Oh, me too, it's so annoying, god that new girl is so rude I hate how she kind of sucks up to Elliot too, but he completely ignores her."

"Good, I don't like her." Olivia stated obviously.

"Well, duh!" Alex said laughing it was then someone knocked on the door

"Come in." Granger and Zapata stood in the door way. Alex was slightly nervous of having Olivia in the room not because she didn't think Olivia could fend for herself.

The pair sat down and Olivia hovered in the corner. Alex sat back down at her desk.

"I'm offering manslaughter 2, 10 years."

"No deal."

"Wouldn't you like to ask your client that?" Alex asked pointedly.

"No deal." Zapata said smiling at her, but it was a mean smile.

"I would take it because when Alex is through with you, you'll be flat like a pancake." Olivia said from the corner. She knew that Zapata was guilty and it pissed her off that he could potentially be getting off due to the fact that Alex's boss wanted her to step back from the case.

"Is that a threat bitch?" Zapata said sizing Olivia up.

"Is that how you're taking it?" Olivia said standing up. She issuing a challenge and of course Zapata being a misogynistic man he was stood up to Olivia.

"I'm taking that as a threat."

"Did you feel threatened when Livia Tayas spoke true about your sexual prowess in the bedroom? About how she laughed at you?" Perhaps it was the lack of being in SVU that made Olivia so bold, or the fact that she was tired of being in Computer Crimes. It may have even been due to the fact that Zapata was going to get away with a heinous crime due to the shaky ground on which they found the evidence.

Zapata surged forward immediately made to strangle her, but Granger pulled him away, not needing an actual death in front of Alex Cabot.

"You're dead bitch, you're dead!" Zapata screamed as he was yanked out of the office. It was then Olivia how foolish she had been, she had let her heart speak rather than her brain.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked touching her friend's shoulder.

"That was stupid." Olivia said.

"No, it wasn't really. It was flat out moronic." Alex said dryly. She was worried for Olivia because she knew that Zapata meant his threat.

It was later that night that the informant, Tim Donovan met with Alex.

"I wouldn't want you to testify, but it looks like Zapata may get off."

"I want to testify, I was thinking of it last night, and it's not fair to Livia if I don't. She would want me to be brave."

"Thank you Tim, it means a lot to me."

"We'll protect you in anyway we can." Elliot said. Elliot had met with them earlier when he had gotten off of work.

"It's appreciated." He shook Elliot's hand and gave a nod to both Alex and Olivia before heading off to his car. He got into his car and started the ignition when his car blew up. Alex had ducked down, but Olivia and Elliot hadn't. Elliot pulled out his gun and prepared to see if someone was around. Olivia made to pull her gun but forgot that when she got transferred she didn't own a gun anymore. A gun then suddenly appeared before anyone noticed and took two shots right at Olivia. Alex was able to catch her before she completely crumpled to the ground. Olivia's eyes blinked as her brain registered the shots.

"Olivia!" Elliot shouted as he fell to his knees to clutch Olivia. Alex had relinquished her hold when Elliot's hands came out to grab her.

"Don't do this! You promised me you'd be careful!" He wailed to her. Alex had told him what Olivia had said to Zapata and how she should really watch her step.

"I love you Elliot, don't forget that." Olivia whispered as she slowly started passing out.

"No, don't do this." He barely heard Alex call for an ambulance.

_Detective Olivia Benson slain._

Read the title of the newspaper and a big picture of Olivia was splashed across the page. Elliot had thrown the newspaper in the garbage refusing to believe she was dead. While Munch had actually read the article about her and found out more things about her in one article than she ever said to him. It was quite a sad article detailing her mother, the Marines, and then her time at SVU and Computer Crimes. The end of the article stated, "We will be very sad for our loss of Detective Olivia Benson, she was a family member to us all."

Cragen had read the article but was surprised to see it since no one had even told him that Olivia was shot, but according to Fin and Munch only Alex and Elliot even knew she had been shot.

Elliot had cried non stop when she had been shot and could barely focus, he ignored his partner Dani and was starting to shut down.

"Hey Elliot, do you want to go for a coffee run?" Dani asked. Elliot just out right ignored her as he grabbed his coat and left. It was raining outside, but Elliot didn't care he walked in the rain in his suit and his nice shoes. He cried in the rain because he knew no one else would know that he was.

3 YEARS LATER

"I hate her Daddy!" Lizzie complained about his partner Dani.

"Why?"

"I miss Livvy, she was nicer not mean like that ugly woman." Lizzie said pointing to Dani. It had been three years and finally Dani had been able to break down his walls and they became friends, he never was as close to her as he was with Olivia.

She also was unethical at times and it bothered him. Sometimes she even put down Olivia's old friends Melinda and Alex by questioning their jobs. Alex had mentioned to Elliot, "Get your goddamn partner under control before I throw her ass in jail." Alex hated Dani with a passion. Often Melinda and Alex would put her down.

_"Who does she think she is? That skank!"_

_"She always hits on Elliot like he wants that attention!" _

"Well, sweetie, I'm sorry, but remember we talked about this, Livvy, um well she died." Lizzie hugged her daddy's legs before she nodded. While Elliot had thought it was hard on him, it had been harder on his kids. He finally had straighten up for his kids sakes, realizing he had to move on in life for his kids.

Dani often did try to throw herself at Elliot and sometimes he let her since he felt bad because of her husbands death earlier that year. While she had tried to insert herself in his family life it had not worked at all.

When she had been over to his apartment one time, his children had poured a bucket of jello mix over the second story on top of her head. She of course had been pissed and told them if she ever caught them doing it again she'd throw them in jail. Of course they didn't listen and the next time she came over they had smashed a cake into her. They had also told her to leave their Daddy alone or something else would happen to her.

While Elliot never forgot Olivia it was hard to resist Dani's attempts at times since she did at sometimes remind him of Olivia with her passion on the job, but anytime he saw his children they reminded him why lived.

* * *

"Grapes?" Mr. Santa was a very kind old man that Emma knew, and while she wasn't sure of his actual last name, everyone called him Mr. Santa because he was kind of big and had a nice white beard and mustache.

"Actually, not today, Mr. Santa."

"Aw, well, I do have something for your son!" Mr. Santa said, as he dug in his apron and pulled out a little stuffed animal for him.

"Aw, Mr. Santa you shouldn't have." The boy giggled as he reached out for the stuffed animal and clasped it back to his chest.

"What do you say?" Emma asked to her son.

"Thank you!" The boy smiled at Mr. Santa and than clung to his mommy's neck holding the Elmo doll in his arms.

"It's my pleasure, after seeing you come her for 3 years I think I can afford to buy your adorable son a toy.

"It's greatly appreciated." Emma smiled as she her son giggled as she jiggled him back and forth.

"Okay, Javier, let's go back home." Emma told the child as she walked away back home. Her son, Javier held on as they walked through the park. As she passed a bench, a man stood up and began following her. Eventually Emma stopped and turned around.

"Okay, Dean, I know you're supposed to be protecting me but honestly, looking like a stalker is not going to help."

"Well, I wanted to make sure no one was following you."

"So what's up?" Dean Porter rarely ever visited Emma but when he did it was usually for something important.

"I have some good news. You can go back." Emma looked at him in shock completely surprised. There had been many nights she had dreamt of going back to New York and not staying in this town Everwood. She thought it wouldn't be possible though ever since she had been shot at and almost killed.

* * *

_"Ms. Benson?" Olivia slowly opened her eyes and saw a couple of official men waiting for her to wake up._

_"Yes?"_

_"I'm Special Agent Dean Porter with the FBI, and these are Special Agent Howard and Green. Let me just cut to the case, you threatened Rafael Zapata, or I might say Zapata feels threatened by you, and put out a hit on you...Which is why you were shot at last night. I'd rather have it that you were killed to protect you and to go into witness protection."_

_"But my friends, my life...Elliot"_

_"Your life is more important than that, if you want to stay alive, it's better that Zapata thinks the hit was successful."_

_"Can I at least say goodbye to some of my friends?"_

_"No I'm sorry, Ms. Benson."_

_

* * *

_

"You mean it's real this time I can go back home?"

"Yes, Emma, Liv, it's real, and I'm so sorry it's taken so long but you had to be safe." Dean leaned forward and brushed a kiss against her cheek.

In the three years Olivia had known Dean Porter he had become her rock and kept her sane. He was the one she told when she found out she was pregnant with the child of the man she so desperately loved. Dean had also unwittingly fallen in love with her. Olivia loved Dean, but she wasn't in love with him.

"Thank you...for everything you've done so much for me, and it's means everything to me. I don't know what I would have done without you." The words pierced through Dean, he wished that sometimes Javier was his not that other man's. It hurt his heart to even think of the real father.

Olivia had named Javier due to the fact that she didn't want the name to bring back to her past.

"Hey, perhaps when you go back to being your crazy detective self...we can get some coffee sometime, or do you not want to be seen with an FBI agent?"

"Of course we can!" Olivia said laughing, and hugging her friend.

Later that night, Olivia was on a plane riding back to New York a place she had once called home. It was late when they finally arrived and she went to an address she thought she would never see again.

Elliot had been dreaming again, it was the same dream as usual.

_"I love you Elliot, don't forget that." Olivia's breathing was labored as she was bleeding out._

_"Olivia, don't do this, you promised you'd be careful!" Elliot shouted._

It seemed every night he had the dream, and every time he wished he could change it.

Dani came into his bedroom and asked him he was okay. He had only let her stay the night because she had been evicted and she had practically begged him to let her stay for the night. _Of course Dani hadn't and was trying to use this as an attempt to further their relationship. Of course his kids were having none of it and already attempted to do something but Elliot had stopped them._

_"Dani is a guest tonight at least be nice to her, she is not staying forever."_

_"I hate her" Maureen stated._

_"I know..." Elliot said._

"Elliot?" Dani said rubbing his back. He almost cringed but controlled the impulse.

"I'm fine," He said moving away from her. She made a move to do something else but than the doorbell rang. Elliot immediately grabbed his gun wondering who would be ringing the doorbell so late. Dani also followed Elliot to the front door. He held his gun right at where he guessed the other person's heart would be and threw the door open.

The moment Javier saw the gun he began crying and wailing into his mother's shoulder.

"Great Elliot, way to scare him." Elliot stared into the beautiful chocolate eyes he thought he would never see again.

"Liv?" He whispered, he reached out to touch her as if she would disappear if he didn't.

"Yeah?" She said beginning to cry. Javier had settled down when Elliot's gun had been lowered. Before he could even hug her, she felt the force of four children hitting her at once.

"Livvy!" While the kids were now 14, 12, and 10. They didn't believe Elliot when he had tried to explain death to them when they were younger and to them it was as if Olivia had been on an extended leave, which is technically what she had been on except in secret.

"Hey guys, you gotta let me breath." Olivia stated as she slowly felt her legs go numb and her diaphram crush.

Maureen pulled away first and noticed the young child sitting in Olivia's arms, and she noticed the resemblence for the first time. He looked exactly like a minature Elliot except his eyes were almost a combination of Olivia's and Elliot's. They were electric blue with a slight brownish around his pupil.

"Who is this?" Kathleen asked pointing to the child.

"This is Javier...he well, can we step inside?" Elliot feeling like an idiot stepped out of the way to let her in. Once in, it was then she noticed Dani standing aways back. She felt jealous but let it pass wanting to explain her side of the story to Elliot. She walked over to the couch and set Javier there with her and let the kids crowd around her.

"So why, what happened?"

"I had to be put under Witness Protection after Zapata put a hit out on me."

"Daddy what's a hit?" Dickie asked interrupting Olivia.

"Um, how about you four go to bed."

"But I want to spend time with Livvy." Lizzie whined clinging onto Olivia's leg. Elliot was able to uncling his children and bring them to the 2nd floor to bed promising them ice cream if they went to bed. Once he got back down he noticed that Olivia was ignoring Dani. Going over to Dani he politely as he could to leave and find another place to stay. At first she wanted to slap hi, but she didn't want to cause a scene in front of Olivia.

"Are you serious Elliot? I have no where to stay."

"Find one." Elliot said, as he practically pushed Dani out with her gun and badge and locked his door.

"El, that was kind of rude.." Olivia said softly, but secretly glad Dani was out.

"After Zapata thought I was dead he stopped being as careful. I had an special agent who lived with me to help guard me."

"Who was it?" Elliot beginning to feel jealous.

"Agent Dean Porter, but it was a friendship only. He helped me when I needed it and was my rock since you couldn't be." Elliot moved over and hugged Olivia tightly.

"I love you, Liv, please don't ever leave me."

"I'll try." Not wanting to make a promise after what had happened.

"So who is this really?" Elliot already knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from Olivia.

"It's our son, from that night, he was born nine months later. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. I'm afraid of what everyone else will do."

"Everyone has missed you terribly, I think it will take some time for them to get used ot seeing you again, but they missed you. Especially Alex and Melinda they conspired against Dani!" Elliot said laughing at some of the antics these two grown women had done to Dani, such as putting salt in her coffee, switching her birth control to testerone pills.

"Can I stay the night?"

"You can stay forever." Elliot whispered kissing her on the forehead. He closed his eyes as he leaned against her and was blissfully happy, until an annoyed Javier made a noise between them.

"Hey, kiddo, you're my son, and you have four new siblings waiting to really get to know you." Javier stared at Elliot for a moment and then giggled as if he knew this was his father.

"What about my old job though, will Tucker let me work back there?"

"Everything will work out, trust me, this I promise you." Elliot said as he pulled Olivia into him and Javier onto his lap.

* * *

**I did shorten the case to less than half of the story so the actual story could move forward. As for Livia, I wasn't sure on her last name.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Amazed**

This is the last chapter! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and I hope you've all enjoyed this story! The support meant a lot.

It had been three weeks that Olivia had been back in SVU. Of course it had come as a shock and Cragen had almost needed to be hospitalized after being so surprised but he seemed to be okay after pondering it over.

Ed Tucker finally realized that everyone hated Dani Beck and Elliot's success rate was dropping so he transferred Beck out to be put back in a different division, and once again, Olivia was allowed to be his partner.

"I'm only allowing this because of the fact that you will be getting married and it won't be considered inter department dating anymore, and well your close rate was so good." Tucker stated to the pair looking as if he'd rather eat dung.

"Thank you," Olivia said holding onto Elliot happy they were together again.

"Finally, someone gave you your brain back." Elliot said rudely. Olivia's eyes widened but Tucker only chuckled before he left.

Melinda and Alex were excited about having their best friend back and of course Elliot's children were excited about getting a mother again. Olivia couldn't believe how good life was and hoped it never changed.

"Olivia?" Olivia turned around and saw Dean Porter standing on the corner waiting there.

"Dean!" Olivia said hugging him. "How have you been?"

"I've been better." He said laughing almost in a sad tone. He had heard through the grape vine that Olivia was getting married to Elliot.

"I wanted to say Congratulations," Dean said as he quickly kissed her cheek and pulled away not wanting it to be true, but he also wanted her to be happy which she was.

"Thank you, I wanted to send an invitation, but well, you hid yourself well."

"When is it?"

"This Saturday, everything's planned. Just be there."

"I will, I'll get the address later, be safe okay? I can't be watching your ass all the time." He teased.

"I got someone else now." Olivia winked as she began walking away back to the precinct.

"Olivia, you look so beautiful!" Alex said as she looked at her friend in her wedding dress.

It was a simple strapless dress with a very faint floral pattern that went around the bust and slid down on one side of the dress. It was almost a corset like dress with it completely containing her breasts but also letting them be visible. She also noted it helped her stand straight since it was so fitted. It then flowed out completely to reach the floor with a slight train.

"Elliot is really lucky." Melinda said softly. She knew that Elliot and Olivia deserved each other and were happy.

"Thank you, I can't believe I'm getting married!" Olivia said glancing at the beautiful sapphire ring Olivia had gotten. She remembered their conversation they had one time from the Marines.

_"Do you like diamonds?"_

_"Why?"_

_"Just answer the question, Benson." It was rare that he called her that except when she would try to avoid a question._

_"Well, I actually like sapphire...it matches your eyes." Olivia said as she reached up to touch his cheek._

_"Sapphire?"_

_"Yes, it's a gem, and I think of it when I see your eyes."_

_"Okay, sapphire it is."_

_"Why?"_

_"That is something for me to know and you to not find out."_

And of course, Elliot had remembered and when he knelt down on one knee and asked the most important question in his life.

_"Olivia Benson, I love you from the first day we met, you were my rock and you are the love of my life, you have made me become the man I was supposed ot be, I love you and I would be the happiest man if you married me."_

_"No." Olivia said before she leaned down with Elliot and held his cheek._

_"I love you Elliot, but you don't have to ask me, I will always love you." He picked her up and swung her around laughing as the snow began falling down._

So here he was standing in the dressing room of the wedding wall waiting to get married. Fin, Munch, Dickie, Javier and Cragen were with him.

"So you nervous?" Fin asked as he helped Elliot adjust his bow tie.

"Yes, this is the first time I'm marrying someone I love." Elliot looked at himself, looking at his dark blue bow tie matching the bridesmaids dresses and the ribbon in Olivia's hair.

"I can't believe this day has finally come!" Munch added as he straightened his bow tie too.

"Dada!" Javier said from his seat as once again he had pulled off his bow tie. Elliot walked over and picked him up and adjusted the bowtie back on. Since Javier was young he was wearing a jumpsuit tuxedo with a clip on bow tie but he had more fun ripping it off than keeping it on. And over the three weeks he had attached to Elliot like glue.

"Daddy, where are my sisters?" Dickie said as he yanked on Elliot's pant legs.

"They are with Olivia."

Olivia looked at herself again in the mirror and looked at the three girls around her, they were also wearing the same shade as their father except theirs was in their dresses. Maureen, Kathleen and Lizzie stood around Olivia glancing at themselves.

"I'm glad you're becoming our mother." Lizzie whispered as she held onto the dress.

"Me too. You've been our mother than Kathy ever was." Maureen said as she smiled at the smile on Olivia's face.

"Dad's lucky." Kathleen commented as she adjusted her hair.

"Oh Elliot is definitely a lucky man." Alex said as she looked at Olivia's beautiful frame and shape and how the wedding dress made her glow.

"Are you ready?" Melinda asked as she began to hear the processional music play.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She said as she grabbed her blue bouquet and her future children grabbed their white ones. Alex and Melinda quickly followed to get in front of Olivia and behind the children.

Elliot was waiting for Olivia at the front of the altar, and while he hadn't seen the wedding dress yet he knew it would be gorgeous. Lizzie walked down the aisle first, with Kathleen and then Maureen following after. Alex walked down slowly and then Melinda and finally, Olivia stepped into the doorway with Cragen walking her down the aisle. True he wasn't her father, but she felt like he'd be a good substitute since he acted like a father to her.

Elliot's jaw dropped when he saw the beautiful dress she was wearing and couldn't believe he was marrying her. She smiled at him as she walked slowly down her breathing become more excited as she realized this was the moment.

Finally she stood in front of Elliot and held his hands.

"Do you Olivia Regan Benson take Elliot Thomas Stabler as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, and promise to be faithful until death due you part?"

"I do." Elliot slid the gold band onto her hand next to her engagement ring.

Do you, Elliot Thomas Stabler take Olivia Regan Benson as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, and to promise to be faithful until death due you part?"

"I do." Olivia slid his golden band onto his left finger and gave a squeeze.

"You may kiss the bride." Elliot slid his hands from her hands and one at the nape of her neck as he pulled her into the most passionate kiss he could give in public. A huge whoop and shouts came from the crowd as they kissed. As they turned to look at the crowd they saw their children smiling and waving.

* * *

Epilogue: 3 years later

"Javier you will make us all be late if you do not hurry up!" Elliot yelled upstairs to his son as he was getting dressed.

"Oh Eli, come on, don't cry, Mommy is trying to help you get dressed." A 2 year old toddler fussed in the arms of Olivia as she tried to get him dressed in a nice jacket.

"Mom! Dickie's doing it again!" Kathleen shouted.

"Stop Dickwad!" Kathleen shouted at her 15 year old brother who had just thrown something at her.

"Stop calling me Dickwad than!" He shouted back.

"Knock it off you two!" Maureen said in a bossy voice.

"Oh who died and made you master?" Dickie said.

"Yeah?" Kathleen asked.

"Come you guys let's please try not to be nuts." Olivia said sastified that Eli was dressed.

"Javier!" Olivia shouted.

"I'm coming!" The 5 year old boy trudged down the stairs hating the fact that he had to wear a ridiculous outfit.

"This looks stupid, Mom!" He whined to her.

"Well, tell that to you Aunt Alex when you see her, she chose this wedding scheme. Javier looked at his pink and green suit.

"She was on crack." Dickie whispered to his younger brother who promptly giggled.

"Don't teach him that!" Elliot boomed as he finished tying his hideous tie.

"He's right." Olivia whispered as she shaded her eyes from his bright pink suit and green tie. Adjusting her necklace and watch, she picked up Eli and his stroller.

"Let's go!" Elliot said as they climbed into the sedan.

Alex's wedding was beautiful except for her color scheme. She married Trevor Langan in the middle of the day and when the ceremony was over all Olivia congratulated her and hugged her best friend.

All 8 Stablers stood looking at the sunset on the dock. Olivia was leaning into Elliot while holding on to Eli, Javier was in Elliot's arms. Maureen leaned into her mother with Kathleen on the other side and Dickie and Lizzie on their father's side.

_After All the stops and starts,_

_We keep coming back to these two hearts,_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall._

_After All that we've been through,_

_It all comes down to me and you._

_I guess it's meant to be,_

_Forever you and me, After All_.

"I love you, El."

"I love you, Liv."

The End.

* * *

**To everyone who has either read, reviewed, alerted or favorited, thank you! I enjoyed writing this story and hope to write more.**

**Bensler13  
**


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